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AUTHOR: 


CALLEJA,  CAMILO 


TITLE: 


PRINCIPLES  OF 
UNIVERSAL ... 

PLACE: 

LONDON 

DA  TE : 

1889 


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PRESERVATION  DEPARTMENT 

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113 
0131 


Calleja,  Gamilo. 

Principles  of  universal  physiology.  A  reform  in  the 
theories  of  physics,  chemistry,  biology,  and  cosmology, 
by  Camilo  Calleja,  m.  d.  London,  K.  Paul,  Trench  &  co.i 
1889. 

vii,  146  p.    IQi'*. 


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PRINCIPLES    OF 
UNIVERSAL     PHYSIOLOGY 


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UNIVERSAL   PHYSIOLOGY 


A   REFORM  IN  THE    THEORIES  OF 

PHYSICS,  CHEMISTRY,  BIOLOGY,  AND  COSMOLOGY 


BY 


CAMILO    CALLEJA,    M.D. 


LONDON 

KEGAN  PAUL,  TRENCH,  &  CO..  i  PATERNOSTER  SQUARE 

1889 


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PREFACE. 


[The  rights  of  trtuulmtion  and  of  rt^odttction  art  rtserved.] 


This  little  book  is  a  compendium  issued  in  advance  of 
a  complete   work  called  '*  Universal  Physiology,"   which 
intends  to  reform  the  whole  theory  of  Natural  Science— 
i.e.,  Physics,  Chemistry,  Biology  and  Cosmology.     This 
comprehensive    theory,    which    completely   rectifies    the 
opinions  held  by  the  authors  of  such  treatises,  we   call 
Physiological.     We   adopt   the   word    Physiology   in   its 
etymological   sense — discourse    of    Nature;   and   though 
it  has  been  very  commonly  employed  by  authors  instead 
of  Biology,  our  application  of  the  word   coincides   with 
this  meaning  also,  inasmuch  as  that  the  primordial  effects 
in  nature  are  those  of  living  bodies  called   by  authors 
physiologic.    This  Physiology  is  qualified  as  "  Universal " 
in  order   to  denote  that  we  comprehend  the  theory  of 
Nature  in  abstract,  without  detailing  any  particulars  or 

concrete  facts. 

This  Physiological  Theory  is  developed  with  the  sole 
guarantee  of  the  uniformity  of  Nature,  and  is  based  on  the 


/300T6 


VI 


PREFACE. 


PREFACE. 


vii 


t 


principle  of  conservation  alone,  which  asserts  the  unques- 
tionable  truth    of  the  inertia   of  matter.     It   fulfils    the 
greatest  necessity  of  mental  speculation,  discovering  the 
unity  of  all  objective  knowledge ;  for  as  the  universe  is 
a  system,  a  theory  of  its  activity  must  be  universal  and 
not  partial,  and  if  a  mutual  connection  does  indeed  exist 
among  all  material  changes,  our   reason   logically  theo- 
rising  must  arrive   at  unity.     It   sustains   that  the  first 
effects  in  the  worid  are  those  of  vitality,  from  which  all 
other  material  changes  are  uniformly  derived  by  simple 
propagation  of  movement  with  conservation  of  energy; 
and    it    asserts   that    the   continuity   or    persistency    of 
Cosmos    in    its    uniform    actual   state    depends   on    the 
Supreme  Power,  which  directly  acts  in   organism  alone. 
Hence  the  so-called  physical,  chemical,  vital  and  cosmic 
forces   are   not   causing   agents,    but   mechanical  results 
in  accordance  with   the  true  law  of  inertia,    for   matter 
is  not  capable  by  itself  alone  of  producing  any  change. 
Universal  Physiology,  comprehending  the  whole  theory 
of  Nature,  must  study  it  both  analytically  and  syntheti- 
cally ;  from  this  arises  our  classification  of  its  departments 
into  two  groups.  Analytic  and  Synthetic  Physiology,— the 
former   including   General    and  Special   Physiology,   and 
the    latter    Biology    and   Cosmology,    of  course   in    the 
abstract  sense.     Hence  the  following  order  in  its  division  : 
1st,  General    Physiology,    which  comprehends   the  most 


abstract  ideas  of  matter  and  its  first  analytical  link  ; 
2nd,  Special  Physiology,  which  treats  of  every  material 
change  in  particular,  in  order  to  rectify  the  theories  on 
Molar  Mechanics,  Heat,  Chemistry,  Sound,  Light,  and 
Electricity;  3rd,  Biology,  which  makes  the  partial 
synthesis  of  Nature,  embracing  the  living  world  alone 
in  order  to  discover  the  combination  of  changes  in  or- 
ganism ;  and  4th,  Cosmology,  which  explains  the  total 
synthesis  of  Nature  — ^^.,  the  combination  of  all 
changes  in  Cosmos,  showing  the  organic  origin  of  all 
phenomena,  even  those  of  so-called  universal  attraction, 
as  gravity,  planetary  movements,  terrestrial  magnetism, 
affinity,  etc. 

The  book  opens  with  an  "Introduction,"  giving  the 
logical  and  physiological  data  necessary  to  develop  and 
understand  the  Physiological  Theory;  and  closes  with 
a  recapitulation  of  our  principal  conclusions. 


C.  C. 


London,  July,   1889. 


4'- 


I 


INTRODUCTION 

TO 

PHYSIOLOGICAL    THEORY. 


LOGICAL  AND  PSYCHOLOGICAL  DATA, 

CHAP.    I.  Province  and  Division  of  Universal  Physiology. 
M       II.  Principal  Cause  of  Doctrinal  Errors. 
„     III.  Objective  or  Cosmic  Perceptions. 
„      IV.  How  Physiological  Knowledge  is  Acquired. 
„        V.  Proof  of  Physiological  Data. 

VI.  Conservation  of  Energy  in  Cosmic  Mechanism. 


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INTRODUCTION 

TO 

PHYSIOLOGICAL    THEORY. 


LOGICAL  AND  PSYCHOLOGICAL  DATA, 


CHAPTER  I. 

PROVINCE   AND   DIVISION   OF   UNIVERSAL    PHYSIOLOGY. 

The  mechanism  of  the  world  consists  in  the  conservation  of 
matter  in  movement.  The  abstract  ca  ising  or  generating 
forces,  as  attraction,  affinity,  etc.,  which  are  the  image  of  the 
supposed  anima  mundi  of  the  ancient  philosophers,  must  never 
more  be  admitted,  because  they  are  always  the  effect  of  pro- 
pagation. If,  sometimes,  we  do  not  discover  direct  propagation 
in  a  change,  it  is  because  there  are  indirect  transmissions  across 
invisible  means.  This  solution,  given  to  the  greatest  physio- 
logical problem,  is  justified  in  this  book. 

The  problems  which  are  within  the  sphere  of  Natural 
Philosophy  or  Physiological  Science  are  exclusively  mechanical 
or  material ;  for  those  of  conscious  activity,  or  the  spiritual,  are 
of  intrinsic,  supersensual  or  supernatural  resolution,  and  belong 
to  the  sphere  of  Metaphysics.  Conscious  activity  peculiar  to 
the  mind  is  a  necessary  condition  of  the  mental  fruit  called 


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I'deasy  very  (liferent  fifoAi:  Jhi  •  i^aterial  work  of  the  general 
activity    of  Cosmos,  wliicli*  presupposes    nothing   but   move- 


ment. 


•  •  •  • 


Scientific  works  riiaty'  tie*  'either  theoretical  or  practical ;  the 
chief  aim  of  the  former  being  to  make  discoveries,  and  that  of 
the  latter  the  application  of  these  discoveries  to  the  uses  or 
necessities  of  human  life.  We  group  the  theoretical  sciences 
under  the  name  of  Philosophies,  as  their  sole  object  is 
wisdom  or  the  love  of  knowledge;  we  group  the  practical 
sciences  under  the  name  of  Philotechnigs,  their  aim  being 
to  know  in  order  to  act — i.e.y  a  practical  love  for  doing  or 
working. 

In  Philosophies  it  is  necessary  to  distinguish  three  kinds  of 
knowledge :  first  differentiating  the  divine  from  the  human, 
and  in  the  human  the  supersensual  from  the  sensual,  as  it  is 
impossible  to  establish  any  notion  which  comprehends  at  once 
both  the  Creator  and  the  created,  and  in  the  created  both 
mind  and  matter.  Accordingly,  we  here  establish  the  separa- 
tion of  supernatural  from  natural  philosophy :  the  first  is  the 
science  of  the  immaterial,  comprehending  Theology  and  Psycho- 
logy ;  the  second  is  the  science  of  the  material  world,  including 
Physics,  Chemistry,  and  Biology  in  their  abstract  and  descrip- 
tive sense.  This  science  of  the  material  world  we  call  Universal 
Physiology;  its  departments  may  be  classified  into  abstract 
and  concrete.  Abstract  Physiology  studies  the  notions  or 
concepts  of  Nature  apart  from  the  objects  from  which  they  are 
taken — that  is,  the  objective  knowledge  of  generalisation. 
The  purpose  of  this  work,  then,  is  Abstract  Physiology,  in 
which  the  word  "  abstract,"  on  account  of  its  obsv  .e  sense  is 
substituted  by  the  word  "Universal."  The  aim  of  Concrete 
Philosophy  is  to  investigate  real  existences  of  natural  beings 
as  concrete   things,   definite   in  their  acts;    it   comprehends 


P/^0  VINCE  AND  DIVISION  OF  UNIVERSAL  PHYSIO  LOG  Y.    5 

Mineralogy  (including  Descriptive  Chemistry  and  Geology), 
Concrete  Biology  (Botany  and  Zoology),  Descriptive  Geography 
and  Astronomy. 

The  province  of  Abstract  or  Universal  Physiology  (that  is, 
of  these  "  Principles  ")  being  already  determined,  we  will  now 
give  a  slight  idea  of  its  departments,  formally  studying  the 
general  principles  which  are  the  base  for  the  general  theories 
— that  is,  those  principles  which  make  common  reference  to 
all  natural  changes,  and  afterwards  occupying  ourselves  with 
the  particulars  referring  to  all  kinds  of  changes  which  will  be 
determined  as  different  in  their  classification.  From  this 
arises  our  division  of  Analytical  Physiology'  into  General  and 
Special :  as  in  the  analytical  investigation  of  Nature,  we  will 
first  study  the  general  principles  of  all  phenomena,  and  after- 
wards the  variety  of  phenomena  in  particular. 

Accordingly,  General  Physiology  treats  of  resolving  questions 
which  are  usually  badly  classified  as  Metaphysical ;  Special 
Physiology  studies  what  is  generally  called  Physical  Theory 
and  General  Chemistry ;  and  Synthetical  Physiology  compre- 
hends Abstract  Biology  and  Cosmology. 

Without  a  previous  knowledge  of  universal  notions  we  cannot 
scientifically  know  the  particular,  as  the  latter  are  implied  in 
the  former.  Therefore  we  will  begin  to  treat  the  Physiological 
Theory  by  the  study  of  General  Physiology,  in  which  the 
concepts  common  to  all  objects  are  treated  of.  Following 
this  will  come  Special  Physiology,  which  will  study  separately 
the  theory  of  every  class  of  phenomena ;  and  finally  will  come 
Synthetic  Physiology,  which  studies  the  living  being  in  its 
general  form  of  aggroupation,  and  the  phenomenal  genesis  of 
Cosmos  as  the  effect  of  vitality,  so  that  this  part  is  subdivided 
into  Biology  and  Cosmology. 

The  Analytical  part,  then,  comprehends  the  theories  of  the 


INTRODUCTION. 

constitution  and  activity  of  matter  in  general,  the  theory  of 
Molar  Mechanics,  Heat,  Chemical  Affinity,  Sound,  Light,  and 
Electricity.  Biology  and  Cosmology,  which  study  the  syn- 
thetical abstraction  of  Nature,  are  no  more  than  an  application 
of  these  changes  or  mutations  to  the  vital  and  cosmic  synthesis 
—that  is  to  say,  to  those  engendered  functions  which  taken 
together  are  called  vitality  and  cosmic  activity. 

The  material  changes  or  mutations  of  organism  are  of  two 
kinds :  manifested  or  phenomenal,  and  non-manifested  or  latent. 
The  first  may  be  either  molar  or  molecular,  according  as  the 
movement  is  visible  or  otherwise  ;  the  molar  are  of  two  orders, 
contraction   and   reproduction.      Accordingly,    four   kinds   of 
functions  of  vitality  result :   contractile,  reproductive,  trophic 
(thermo-chemical  or  molecular),  and  nervous  or  latent.     This 
last  is  the  most  primordial  act  of  vitality,  and  from  this  cir- 
cumstance is  erroneously  considered  by  authors  as  automatic. 
Physiological  Synthesis  may  be  either  partial,  referring  to  the 
living   individual;   or   total,   referring   to   the   Cosmos.     The 
partial    synthesis   may   be    called   micrologic,   and   the   total 
cosmologic.     In  addition  to  this,  if  we  divide  all  objective 
study  into  descriptive  and  genesic,  it  results  that  Synthetic 
Physiology  comprehends  four  dep-.rtments :    Organic  Micro 
graphy,  Organic  Microgeny,  Cosmography  and  Cosmogeny. 


INTRODUCTION 


CHAPTER  H. 

PRINCIPAL   CAUSE   OF   DOCTRINAL   ERRORS. 

The  conceptual  elements  of  objective  being   or  real   nature 
are  four :  two  are  attributive  abstractions  (abstractions  of  an 
entity  in  itself) — substance  and  activity  :  and   the   other  two 
are   relative    abstractions — space    and   time    (abstractions    of 
different  entities  among  each  other).     When  an  entity  is  not 
defined,  its   four   abstractions   are   also   indefinite,   and  from 
this  arise    chimerical,    ontological    concepts  :   and   when  the 
entity  is  defined  by  our  sensual  observation   or   experience, 
then  the  four  elemental  abstractions  are  also  defined,   and 
from    this    arises    true    physiological    concept.      When    this 
distinction  is  not  well  established,  the  metaphysician,  influenced 
by  ontological  errors,  has   the    tendency   to   pantheism   and 
idealism,  and  the  physicist  or  naturalist  for  the  same  reason 
usually  falls  into  atheism  and  materialism.     If  these  abstractions 
in  regard  to  the  Infinite  Being  are  confounded  with  the  finite, 
we   then   fall   into   the   error   of  considering   them   as  really 
existing  not  in  the  Divinity,  but  in   themselves ;  and   if  the 
abstractions  regarding  the  finite  being  or  Nature  are  considered 
as  exclusive  existences,  the  result  is  the  false  supposition  that 
matter  is  in  itself  alone  the  only  principle  of  the   Universe, 
and  Nature  then  should  be  governed  by  itself  alone,  as  is  the 
idea  of  transformism. 

In  Physiology  (comprehending  the  whole  science  of  Nature) 
it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  object  pursued  is  partial, 
that  this  science  does  not  comprehend  all  knowledge,  and 
therefore  must  not  deny  the  existence  of  those  sciences^which 


8 


INTRODUCTION, 


1 1 


treat  of  that  which  is  beyond  our  extrinsic  sensations,  and 
that  the  inquiry  into  Metaphysics  (Theology  and  Psychology) 
IS  of  a  different  order  from  the  inquiry  into  Physiology. 

Physiology  has  been  contaminated  by  the  ontological  errors 
of  the  metaphysicians  :  thus,  for  instance,  it  is  a  relic  of  realism 
to  consider  as   entities   or   beings   of  separate  existence  the 
concepts  and  even  the  conceptual  elements  which  are  formed 
by  mental  abstraction   from  our  external  experiences.     Thus 
also  it  is  realistic  to  consider  as  separate  existences  every  one 
of  the  different   kinds  of  phenomena-as  caloric,  luminous, 
magnetic    and    electric    agents,   molecular    forces,    planetary 
attractions,  etc. 

In  Psychological  theory  the  same  error  is  also  freq'uently 
found-/>.,  to  individualise  as  realities  the  different  conscfbus 
activities,  and  from  this  results  the  admission  of  plurality  instead 
of  unity  in  our  mental  power. 

There  is  nothing  absolute  in  Nature ;  or,  better  to  say,  our 
understanding  does   not    and   cannot   know   physical    unity 
entity  or  type   in   absolute,  either  of  quality  or  of  quantity. 
There  is  no  absolute  material  substance,  no  absolute  activity, 
no  absolute  space,  and  no  absolute  time.     We  do  not  objectively 
recognise  anything  which  may  be  an  absolute  cause  or  principle  ; 
all   that   is  physiological   (Nature)   is  an   effect   or   medium.' 
Kvery  form  of  material  existence  suffers   perpetual   changes, 
undergoes  incessant  mutations  which  are  not  primordial,  but 
derived  by  propagation.      Manifested    existence  depends  on 
mutual  actions  among  objects,  and  on  the  interaction  of  these 
with  the  mind  from  which  we  form  the  relations  of  the  objects 
and  consequently  all  their  possible  knowledge.     Notwithstand' 
mg  this  evident  truth,  the  greatest  minds  occupied  in  scientific 
speculations  have  forgotten  it  when  they  suppose  the  ultimate 
elements  or  real  constituents  of  the  world,  atoms,  monads,  etc , 


PRINCIPAL  CAUSE  OF  DOCTRINAL  ERRORS.  g 

are  absolute  realities.  Atoms  are  erroneously  considered 
absolutely  simple  and  indivisible,  as  if  they  were  the  last 
elements  of  the  material  world,  the  physical  unities  absolutely 
constant  which  by  their  aggregation  form  the  Universe. 


CHAPTER    III. 

OBJECTIVE   OR   COSMIC    PERCEPTIONS. 

The  acts  of  feeling  and  thought  are  symbolised  in  an  entity 
which  we  call  Mind.  We  say  that  the  mind,  in  substitution  of 
the  personal  subject,  feels  and  thinks ;  the  product  of  feeling 
we  call  sensation,  and  that  of  thinking,  thought.  When  we 
think,  we  affirm  or  deny,  we  agree  or  disagree ;  the  resultant  of 
such  a  mental  action  we  call  judgment,  and  the  capacity  which 
contains  all  judgment  is  symbolised  in  the  word  criticism. 
If  the  result  of  the  comparison  of  two  concepts  asserting 
either  an  agreement  or  disagreement  in  the  relations  which 
they  express  is  a  judgment,  and  a  comparison  of  judgments  is 
a  reasoning,  by  reasoning  then  we  arrive  at  inferences  (induc- 
tions and  deductions)  and  calculations  in  which  the  expressed 
relations  are  known  either  by  perceptible  sensations  (categoric 
knowledge)  or  by  ideas  acquired  from  pure  thought  (hypo- 
thetic knowledge).  The  first  relies  upon  the  direct  proof  of 
experience  in  order  to  be  considered  as  evident  truth ;  while 
the  second  is  not  within  the  direct  reach  of  the  senses,  but  is 
warranted  by  the  laws  of  thought  and  the  rules  of  art  which 
direct  reason  (Logic  and  Mathematics). 

When  we  reason  we  can  compare  in  two  ways ;  therefore 
there  are  two  kinds  of  operations  in  reasoning  :  one  purely 
logical— comparison  of  quality  ;  the  other  mathematical— QQm- 


1 


INTRODUCTION, 

parison  of  quantity.  By  the  power  of  reasoning  man  can 
foresee  what  he  has  not  seen,  foretell  what  he  has  not  heard, 
predict  what  is  going  to  happen.  But  to  accomplish  this 
supreme  operation  of  the  mind  we  need  theories  whose 
starting-point  is  in  the  principles  which  are  the  subject  of 
study  in  this  work. 

The  knowledge  which  is  the  fruit  of  thought  takes  thought 
with  its  laws  for  a  means,  but  the  primordial  or  fundamental  ideas 
are  always  derived  from  intrinsic  and  extrinsic  sensations,  that 
is  to  say,  from  the  primordial  facts  which  our  mind  discovers 
by  immediate  or  direct  perception,  they  being  isolated  without 
any  connection  in  the  existent  system,  and  so  lacking  scientific 
character.  Therefore  intuitions  do  not  belong  to  Physiology, 
but  to  Ideology,  a  department  of  Psychology.  In  truth,  the 
perception  of  objects  is  not  complete  as  scientific  knowledge 
until  they  are  assimilated  and  classified  ;  mental  assimilation 
demands  the  ideal  decomposition  of  objects  into  sensations, 
and  classification  requires  the  recomposition  of  the  ideas  by 
thought.  Without  these  two  circumstances  our  mind  could 
not  define  or  specify  any  object ;  it  would  only  contain  a  vague 
and  general  idea  of  them.  One  thing  is  not  quite  definite 
while  we  are  not  able  to  refer  it  to  one  of  the  known  classes, 
or  at  least  while  we  cannot  establish  the  relations  fixing  the 
similarities  and  diflerences  with  any  of  the  classes  already 
known.  We  comprehend  the  importance  and  necessity  of 
classification  only  by  noticing  that  all  the  terms  of  language 
are  general,  and  therefore  they  presuppose  the  element  of 
classification.  Nouns  express  only  abstract  ideas  of  attribu- 
tion or  of  relation ;  and  they  always  imply  classification  in 
their  meaning,  as  to  name  a  thing  or  apply  any  term  as  a 
predicate  is  an  act  of  abstraction  which  presupposes  classifica 
lion. 


#v,. 


OBJECTIVE  OR  COSMIC  PERCEPTIONS. 


II 


The  total  result  of  the  process  of  extrinsic  perception  is 
the  concept  of  objects  in  their  relations  with  the  different 
qualities  or  states  of  the  receiving  subject  or  mind.  This 
makes  it  appear  to  us  that  the  objects  are  contained  in  the 
mind ;  but  such  contents  are  only  objective  symbols,  and 
thus  we  acquire  the  knowledge  of  objective  perception,  not 
by  inference,  but  by  the  association  of  those  symbols.  It  is 
not  the  eye  which  truly  sees  the  object,  nor  is  it  the  ear 
which  hears  and  understands ;  it  is  the  mind  itself.  Indeed, 
light,  sound,  or  any  one  of  those  changes  of  the  world  which 
produce  the  activities  present  in  the  mind,  is  not  perceived 
by  the  senses,  though  by  a  figure  of  speech  we  say  to  see 
with  the  eyes,  to  hear  with  the  ears :  what  happens  is  that 
we  see,  hear,  etc.,  by  means  of  the  senses,  but  we  perceive 
only  with  the  mind.  The  initial  activity  of  perception 
depends  on  the  interaction  excited  between  the  mind  and 
the  senses  by  the  object ;  all  that  happens  afterwards  is  a  con- 
sequence inherent  in  subjective  activity,  association,  uncon- 
scious suggestion,  and  reflection.  We  could  not  possess  any 
idea  of  identity  and  consistency  among  objects  if  the  mind 
constantly  reacting  did  not  correct  the  appearances  of  the 
sensations,  but  was  strictly  limited  to  the  impressions  pro- 
duced by  the  senses.  The  mind  is  the  sole  thing  which  has 
the  power  of  elaborating  sensations  and  thoughts,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  ovule  is  the  sole  object  from  which  an  organism 
can  be  formed. 

Objective  perception  involves  not  only  presentation  of  ideas, 
but  also  their  representation — that  is,  the  manifestation  of 
ideas  previously  formed  by  objective  sensations.  Furthermore, 
the  reproducing  elements  of  knowledge  (representation)  are 
more  important  than  the  elements  acquired  in  actuality  (pre- 
sentation).    For  this  reason  the  processes  of  presentation  and 


13 


INTRODUCTION, 


representation  are  necessary   at   the   same   time   in   order  to 
acquire  the  scientific  knowledge  of  Cosmos  (Physiology). 

There  are  forms  of  representation,  however,  which  do  not 
involve  any  perception  of  actual  presentation:  such  are  the 
acts  of  memory  and  those  of  imagination ;  but  even  then  the 
object  may  also  be  suggested  by  the  senses  through  the  act 
of  association.  Therefore  mature  perception  involves  in  some 
manner  representative  activity,  though  in  many  perceptions 
presentation  plays  an  important  part,  while  in  some  others, 
being  purely  representative,  it  constitutes  a  special  phase  of 
mental  activity  in  which  the  elements  can  even  be  combined 
in  new  forms. 

The  following  circumstance  in  regard  to  representations  is 
worthy  of  mention  in  Physiology.  A  case  experienced  will 
be  more  exactly  reproduced  the  more  links  of  connection 
there  are  among  the  data,  of  sensation,  as  it  will  then  be 
more  intelligible.  In  fact,  if  the  connection  among  the  data 
is  known,  it  is  enough  to  remember  the  premises  in  order 
to  call  to  mind  the  conclusions,  if  we  have  rational  or  philo- 
sophical memory ;  on  the  contrary,  if  the  elements  of  mental 
connection  are  lacking,  the  case  is  easily  forgotten,  except  by 
one  of  those  irreflexive  or  spontaneous  memories  which,  by 
a  sort  of  unrolling  of  words,  can  reproduce  them  without 
any  other  connection  than  the  immediate  succession  in  which 
the  words  were  acquired. 


INTRODVCTION. 


n 


CHAPTER  IV. 


HOW    PHYSIOLOGICAL    KNOWLEDGE    IS    ACQUIRED. 


No  theory  can  be  the  fruit  of  intuition, — it  is  the  fruit  of 
thought ;  and  a  physiological  theory  must  not  be  invented  by 
imagination,  but  planned  by  inferences  and  calculations  which 
are  the  fruit  of  reason. 

Objective  perceptions  are  the  data  for  the  knowledge  of 
Cosmos,  and  our  ideas  of  the  world  are  conceptual,  or  formed 
by  mental  abstraction.  The  interaction  of  matter  and  mind 
may  produce  either  subjective  differences — qualitative  ideas,  or 
objective  differences — quantitative  ideas  of  space  and  time. 
The  subject  is  known  by  qualities  or  attributive  differences 
alone,  and  not  by  quantitative  differences.  The  object,  on  the 
contrary,  is  known  by  quantitative  differences  or  different 
relations,  and  not  by  qualitative  differences  either  of  substance 
or  activity  :  that  is,  objective  perceptions  which  are  the  data 
for  the  knowledge  of  Cosmos  or  ideas  of  the  world  are  con- 
ceptual, or  formed  by  mental  abstractions  from  sensations 
whose  differences  are  only  in  quantity. 

Matter  and  Mind  (object  and  subject)  can  only  be  known 
by  their  reciprocal  action  (interaction)  \  there  is  no  state  of 
consciousness  regarding  the  knowledge  of  matter  in  particular 
which  is  not  determined  by  such  mutual  action.  Now,  if  we 
think  that  objective  knowledge  or  material  nature  is  valid,  we 
must  admit  also  that  there  is  a  fixed  relation  between  its 
antecedents ;  the  sensations  which  result  from  the  interaction 
of  things  and  mental  activity  must  produce  the  same  percep- 
tion when  the  extrinsic  excitation  is  the  same.    Nevertheless 


H  WT/iODUCTION. 

errors  of  perception  may  occur  either  by  perturbation  in  the 
means  of  transmission  (abnormal  nervous  action),  or  by 
differences  in  the  association  of  ideas,  or  else  by  the  arbi- 
trariness of  which  mental  influence  is  capable  above  all  in 
its  most  essential  product— language,— which  is  so  frequently 
fallacious.  All  these  may  change  the  conditions  of  pro- 
pagation either  materially  or  verbally,  and  therefore  may 
change  the  antecedents  of  perceptions. 

From  this  idea  given  about  scientific  acquisitions  it  results 
that   our  physiological   knowledge   is   based   or   founded    in 
mutual  actions  among   objects— that   is,  in  their  relations— 
because  all  the  properties  of  an  object  are  finally  reduced  to 
the  condition  of  producing  effects  by  interaction  among  things, 
and  such  effects  in  order  to  determine  sensations  must  produce 
some  change  in  the  organs  of  sense,  manifesting  themselves  to 
the  mind  after  their  propagation   through   the   nervous   con- 
ductors  and   centres.     A   thing  alone   cannot   be   known  or 
conceived,  because  its  existence  would  not  be  the  object  of 
sensation   or   of  representation   in   thought.     A   thing    really 
objective,  then,  is  a  term  in  an  infinite  series  of  things  which 
are  in  mutual  dependence,  as  without  this  there  is  no  possible 
form  of  known  reality  either  by  experience  or  by  pure  thought. 
Accordingly     the     physiological     determinations    generally 
considered  as  qualitative  are  relative  as  well  as  those  usually 
called  quantitative.     Quality  directly  results  from  the  mutual 
action   between   the  objects  and   the  mind  by  an  immediate 
connection  without  reflexion— irreflexive  perception  or  attribu- 
tion;   and    quantity    is  a   relation   (either    numerical   or   of 
extension)   among   terms  (which  of  course  are  not  absolute) 
by  mediate  or  reflexive  connection— reflexive   perception   or 
relation   properly   so   called.     There   is   nothing,    then,    truly 
attributive  in  objects ;  as  the  attribution  or  difference  of  quality 


HOW  PHYSIOLOGICAL  KNOWLEDGE  IS  ACQUIRED.     15 

is  purely  subjective  or  mental,  while  objective  differences,  on 
the  contrary,  depend  on  quantity,  and  these  are  material  or 
mechanical  relations.  Let  us,  then,  fix  well  in  the  mind  the 
idea  that  determinations  of  quantity  only,  and  not  those  of 
quality,  can  be  deduced  one  from  another  by  our  mind  in 
accordance  with  general  laws,  physiological  inquiries  being 
of  that  kind. 

The  starting-point  of  thought  in  following  the  process  of 
mental  elaboration  is  the  comparison  of  intuitions ;  and  these 
are  of  two  kinds,  intrinsic  and  extrinsic.  The  assertion  is 
completely  different  in  accordance  with  the  class  of  intuitive 
premises  of  thought;  the  assertions  inferred  from  intrinsic 
intuitions  are  purely  mental  (immaterial,  spiritual,  meta- 
physical knowledge),  while  the  truths  inferred  from  extrinsic 
intuitions  are  sensual  or  material— that  is  to  say,  physiological 
knowledge.  For  psychological  knowledge  the  mental  ego  has 
in  itself  an  exclusive  right,  as  nobody  but  one's  self  can 
directly  perceive  the  acts  of  self-consciousness.  The  limit  of 
physiological  or  natural  knowledge— that  is  to  say,  knowledge 
about  extrinsic  or  objective  things — is  experience ;  Nature  or 
object  is  equally  common  to  the  observation  of  all  minds, 
and  the  perception  of  its  changes  is  the  right  of  everybody. 


CHAPTER  V. 

PROOF   OF   PHYSIOLOGICAL   DATA. 

Phenomena  or  manifested  changes  of  objects  are  the  data  for 
the  senses,  and  ideologists  usually  say  that  such  data  may  be 
contradictory  one  with  another,  and  therefore  deceitful.  But 
all  physical  or  natural  reality  is  material,  and  its  knowledge  is 
derived  from  what  is  manifested  by  the  senses.     If  the  sole 


i6 


INTRODUCTION. 


proof  Of  physical  reality  is  sensual  experience,  the  assertion 
that  the  testimony  of  the  senses  is  deceitful  is  not  true;  in  fact. 
the  sensations  may  deceive  us,  but  they  are  also  the  testimony 
to  prove  the  evidence  of  our  knowledge.    The  data  of  the 
senses   may  be   contradictory  if  we  take  for  a  moment  only 
one  sensual  datum  isolated  from  the  data  of  the  others  •  for 
any  sensual  datum  whatever  is  complementary,  and  needs  to 
be  rectified  by  other  data  taken  by  the  same  sense  or  by 
the  others.     The  true  distinction  between  what  is  apparent 
and  evident  in  nature  is  that  the  apparent  is  a  partial  inquiry 
or  a  contribution  to  the  total  evidence.     An  illusion  of  the 
senses   results   from   testing  them   in    an    inconvenient    and 
mcomplete  manner,  so  leaving  the  assertion  without  evident 
confirmation. 

It  is  clear  that  all  sensual  proof  requires  the  reflection  of 
thought,   and   therefore    that    all    knowledge,   including    the 
experimental,  is  not  only  the  fruit  of  observation,  but  also  of 
reasonmg.     Knowledge  is  always,  in  fact,  the  fruit  of  mental 
elaboration ;  it  is  a  reflective  and  not  an  immediate  act  •  it  is 
without  any  doubt  an  intellectual  product,  and  not  alone  a 
sensual  one,  but  to  prove  the  truth  in  the  interpretation  of 
natural  phenomena,  experience  must  supply  numerous  and 
correct  facts.     From  these  facts  of  observation  we  acquire  the 
separate  primordial  ideas  which  are  the  basis  for  the  knowledge 
of  jmture,  as   without  such  a  foundation  the  human   mind 
could  build  only  a  fantastic  world,  and  whimsically  fix  laws 
to  govern  it. 

The  power  of  the  mind  in  the  study  of  nature  must  be 
limited  to  discover,  not  to  invent.  Hence  pure  reason  alone 
IS  not  sufficient  to  form  a  rational  theory,  nor  are  the  particular 
ex^nences  (which  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  senses) 
sufficient  to  elaborate  a  theory,  as  this  is  a  mental  synthesis 


I 


* 


CONSERVATION  OF  ENERGY, 


17 


Both  orders  of  mental  activity  are  complementary  in  the  acqui- 
sition and  proof  of  physiological  science ;  both,  then,  must  work 
together  to  arrive  at  the  rational  conceptions  of  true  generalisa- 
tions, and  to  prevent  us  from  reaching  imaginary  results. 

Pure  thought  without  a  deep  observation  of  phenomena  can 
give  rise  to  imaginary  ideas  alone,  which  are  ordinarily  only 
chimerical  suppositions — at  least,  when  they  refer  to  the  theory 
of  nature,  like  the  innumerable  hypotheses  of  the  Greek 
philosophers.  But  to  believe  in  our  external  sensations 
without  submitting  them  to  the  examination  or  proof  of 
reason  frequently  produces  false  conclusions  also;  as,  for 
instance,  we  could  think  the  sun  revolves  round  the  earth 
if  we  trusted  the  evidence  of  our  eyes  alone. 

Strictly  speaking,  experience  is  the  source  and  proof  of  all 
knowledge  of  nature,  but  the  generalisation  of  ideas  in  science 
is  far  beyond  the  limits  of  our  sensual  observation,  which  must 
be  subordinated  to  the  supreme  capacity  of  the  mind— reason. 
Thus,  in  a  figurative  sense  we  can  say  experience,  supplying 
the  particular  facts  as  antecedents,  is  the  mother  of  science ; 
and  reason,  elaborating  the  generalisation  necessary  to  the 
speculations  of  theory,  is  its  mentor. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CONSERVATION   OF    ENERGY   IN   COSMIC   MECHANISM. 

To  find  the  general  law  or  sole  synthesis  of  the  material  world 
has  always  been  the  unanimous  desire  of  the  great  scientists, 
and  a  comprehensive  law  of  all  Cosmic  Mechanism  Las' 
been  found  in  a  quantitative  relation.  We  have  reached  the 
knowledge  of  the  following  law,  which  denotes  a  relative 


i8 


INTRODUCTION. 


unity :  In  nature  there  is  conservation  or  persistence  of  the 
same  quantity  of  moving  matter.  Reason  proves  that  the 
great  principle  of  quantity  called  "conservation"  is  the  true 
and  just  one,  and  not  a  chimerical  aspiration  of  science, 
because,  though  phenomena  are  constantly  manifested  as  newly 
engendered,  it  is  only  by  an  effect  of  the  propagation  of  latent 
or  potential  energy.  Hence  such  a  principle  of  conservation, 
like  the  law  of  inertia,  simply  means  that  material  energy  is 
never  annihilated  nor  created  in  absolute. 

In  apparent  opposition  to  this  unity  of  Cosmos,  observation 
supplies  us  with  a  multiplicity  of  qualities  of  objects  which 
are  separately  perceived  by  the  irreflexive  mind  as  different 
sensations  altogether.  Our  consciousness,  in  truth,  perceives 
the  different  sensations  as  if  they  were  many  other  primordial 
properties,  and  consequently  in  the  attributions  or  qualities  we 
do  not  find  any  reason  common  to  all  objects  which  could 
explain  the  unity  of  Cosmos.  Such  a  reason  we  find  only  in 
objective  relations. 

Let  us  now  see  what  kind  of  relation  explains  such  a  unity. 
We  know  that  the  establishment  of  a  relation  or  proportion  of 
quantity  needs  at  least  two  perceptions,  and  the  act  or  mental 
repetition  gives  us  the  idea  of  number-that  is,  the  difference 
between  unity  and  plurality.     We  also  know  that  quantity  can 
be  either  discrete  or  continuous :  with  discrete  quantity  the 
combinational  operations  of  mathematics  or  algebraic  calcula- 
tions are  made ;  and  with  continuous  quantity  the  extensional 
operations  of  geometrical  studies.     Both  kinds  of  quantity  may 
be  either  numerically  undefined  or  definite;  nevertheless  it 
can  be  said  that  we  see  in  nature  infinite  forms  of  extensional 
or    continuous    quantity,    while    combinational    or    discrete 
quantity  supposes  invariability,  as  abstract  number  is  employed. 
Besides,  extrinsic  or  objective  perceptions  can  be  quantitatively 


CONSERVATION  OF  ENERGY. 


«9 


L_ 


compared,  but  intrinsic  or  subjective  perceptions  cannot  be 
admitted  to  comparison  under  the  standard  of  abstract  number. 
Hence  the  capacities  of  the  mind  are  not  of  mathematical 
application  :  this  can  be  made  only  with  the  acts  of  the  material 
worid,  which  are  manifested  by  the  senses  as  natural  phenomena, 
and  which  are  collected  by  our  understanding  as  a  basis  for 
natural  science— Physiology— under  the  principle  of  conser- 
vation with  the  standard  of  abstract  number. 

All   physiological   energies,   phenomena  as   well   as   latent 
changes,  are  the  effect  of  matter  in  movement,  this  being 
always   equal   in   its  total  force,  energy,  power  or  intensity. 
This  is  the  true  mathematical  reason  of  the  relative  unity  of 
cosmic   mechanism.      If  there   is  always  the   same   discrete 
amount  of  matter  in  movement  in  Cosmos,  we  can  derive  from 
such   a  principle  all  the  other  physiological  laws  which  are 
considered  by  the  authors  as  the  primordial  laws  of  Nature. 
Calling  R  and  F  the  cosmic  energies,  comprehending  those 
in  a  latent  state  as  well  as  those  manifested,  we  can  condense 
this  law  into  the  formula  R  =  F :  that  is,  the  resulting  energy 
of  a  change  equals  the  force  employed  to  produce  it.     But 
this  axiom  of  persistence  or  conservation  of  energy  needs  a 
universal  complement :  this  is  the  vital  or  organic  reason  called 
the  principle  of  uniformity  of  nature y  which  must  depend  on 
the  existence  of  only  one  primordial   power— that  is  to  say, 
on  the  absolute  unity  of  the  Supreme.     Hence  we  proclaim 
a   true   scientific   monotheism,  according   to  which  only  one 
cause  of  uniform  involution  of  inert  matter  exists,  and  that 
is  the  Creator. 


i 


PART  FIRST. 


PRINCIPLES    OF    GENERAL    PHYSIOLOGY, 

CHAP.    VII.  Matter  in  General. 

VIII.  Ponderable  Matter  (Atoms). 
IX.  Imponderable  Matter  (Progene). 
X.  Constitution  of  Bodies. 
XI.  Inertia  of  Matter. 
XII.  Generation  of  Phenomena  (Cause  of  the  System). 


/ 


PART    FIRST. 


PRIMCIPLES    OF    GENERAL    PHYSIOLOGY. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

MATTER    m    GENERAL. 

The  terms  matter  and  force  are  in  reality  synonymous,  and  not 
complementary ;  each  alone  truly  represents  the  whole  of  an 
objective    thing ;  they  are  neither  separate  nor  jomed,  but 
one  thing  alone.     Some  who  object,   as  we  do,  to  such  a 
distinction  try  to  remedy  it  by  saying  that  force  is  nothmg 
but  movement,  and  therefore  that  the  only  thing  opposite  to 
force  or  movement  is  mass.     But  mass  and  movement,  like 
matter  and  force,  are  not  complementary,  they  are  inseparable ; 
in  fact,   there  can  be  no  mass  without  movement,  and  no 
movement  without  mass.     What,  then,  do  these  terms  mean  ? 
They  are  nothing  but  symbols  of  concepts  of  mental  abstrac- 
tions taken  from  cosmic  mechanism,   physiological  universe 
or  material  nature.    Thus,  when  we  refer  to  mass  we  mean 
gravity  exclusively,  which  is  a  resultant  of  movement;  but 
because  of  this  we  must  not  forget  that  that  which  may  be 
a  manifested  object  cannot  be  passive  matter ;  that  when  we 
speak  of  active  movement  it  is  only  to  differentiate  it  from 


/ 


24 


GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


MATTER  IN  GENERAL. 


relative  repose,  as  objects  are  always  in  movement  either  actual 
or  potential. 

It  is  evident  that  a  pure  movement,  separate  from  all  bodies, 
.s  an  impossibility;  and  we  must  say  the  same  of  the  other 
correlative  terms,  the  true  proposition  being  that  in  the  real 
concept  of  any  of  the  terms,  matter,  mass,  force  or  move- 
ment, the  four  conceptual  elements  are  comprchcnded-that 
.s  to  say,  the  four  universal  abstractions  of  objects  :  substance, 
activity,  space,  and  time. 

Force  is  the  measure  of  the  movement  propagated  from  one 
object  to  another,  and  its  inten^ty  depends  on  the  relation 
among  the  four  abstractions  here  mentioned.     We  have  re 
peatedly  said  that  most  authors  consider  matter  as  forming  with 
force  an  aggregate  or  compound,  and  that  this  idea  is  evidently 
false.     Nevertheless  we  still  further  criticise  this  point,  because 
It  has  in  Its  favour  many  strongly  rooted  opinions.     Physicists 
suppose  mass  and   movement  not  only  as  real  elements  of 
matter,  but  also  as  always  existing  each  in  the  same  quantity 
in  Cosmos ;  this  affirmation  also,  thus  enunciated,  completely 
acks  foundation,  because  mass  and  movement,  as  well  as  any 
other  relation,  are  susceptible  of   increase  and  diminution. 
Agam,  m  ordinary  mechanics  mass  and  inertia  are  considered 
as  synonymous  terms,  and  are  measured  by  the  force  of  acce- 
leration or  of  deviation  in  the  movement  of  a  body-that  is 
by  the  force  which  is  necessary  to  propagate  movement  to  a 
given  body  in  order  to  determine  in  it  some  velocity     This 
use  of  the  words   mass  and  inertia  is  of  course  limited  to 
atomic  matter  alone,  with  the  abstraction  of  the  differences  of 
place  or  position  of  bodies. 

Mass,  movement,  matter,  and  force  are  not  only  inseparable 
concepts  in  reality,  but  they  are  not  even  separable  in  thought 
All  are  terms  of  relations  among  objects  of  sensible  experience-' 


45 


without  any  other  difference  among  them  than  that  which  they 
have  in  abstract  language  on  account  of  the  omissions  or 
ellipses  which  are  necessary  to  scientific  explanations.  Such 
differences  are  therefore  only  verbal ;  they  are  only  differences 
in  words,  and  not  in  the  real  or  true  propositional  sense.  We 
need  not  refer  back  to  the  realism  of  the  middle  ages  to  see 
the  conceptual  elements  of  things  confounded  with  objects  of 
sensation ;  such  an  error  is  the  cause  of  modern  physicists 
cheating  themselves  in  interpreting  nature  by  their  mechanical 
atomic  theories.  This  error  has  produced  the  most  contra- 
dictory consequences,  and  has  given  rise  to  endless  discussions 
without  any  foundation. 

Abstract  force  is  not  a  real  thing  or  individual  entity  which 
can  be  directly  presented  to  the  observation  of  the  senses,  or 
that  can  be  known  objectively  by  thought.  It  is  nothing  more 
than  a  definite  determination  by  thought  in  the  relations  or 
mutual  dependence  of  matter — that  is,  of  mass  in  movement. 
Abstract  force  is  merely  a  result  of  calculation  of  movements 
whose  measure  is  the  dynamic  correlation  between  the  ante- 
cedents and  consequents  of  a  physical  change.  Nevertheless, 
force,  like  physical  cause,  is  a  term  of  quantitative  rela- 
tions necessary  in  our  discourse  and  in  our  thoughts.  We 
must  set  aside  the  definitions  of  the  word  force  given  by  the 
authors,  as  they  all  suppose  it  to  be  a  real  and  distinct  thing 
in  nature. 

The  same  criticism  *  which  establishes  the  relativity  of  move- 
ment is  what  has  served  us  to  settle  the  relativity  of  activity, 
space,  and  time  ;  and  it  only  remains  for  us  now  to  apply  what 
is  said  about  the  relativity  of  substance  to  that  of  mass  also. 
The  measure  of  the  mass  of  a  body  is  inverse  to  the  accelera- 
tion produced  by  a  given  force,  and  the  measure  of  a  force  is 
*  This  may  be  seen  in  the  unabridged  edition. 


26 


GENERAL   PHYSIOLOGY. 


determined  by  the  acceleration  produced  in  a  given  mass. 
The  ordinary  method,  then,  to  determine  the  mass  of  bodies 
by  their  weight  is  merely  an  arbitrary  agreement  among 
scientists ;  it  is  not  based  in  the  nature  of  anything.  More- 
over, the  weight  of  a  body  does  not  depend  on  itself  in  absolute, 
but  on  its  relations  with  others,  differing  according  to  the  posi- 
tion of  the  body,  and  especially  according  to  its  distance  from 
the  centre  of  gravity  of  the  earth,  because  the  velocity  of  falling 
bodies  near  the  surface  of  the  earth  is  greater  than  if  the  experi- 
ment is  made  at  a  great  elevation,  as  is  proved  by  the  oscillations 
of  the  pendulum.  By  inferring  the  ultimate  abstractions  of 
the  object  we  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  the  two  universal 
attributions — substance  and  activity — are  of  the  same  nature 
through  all  Cosmos. 

Although  the  reduction  of  all  chemical  elements  to  one 
alone  is  practically  impossible,  to  assimilate  all  to  the  same 
substance  is  a  theoretical  necessity,  because,  as  we  have  seen, 
all  the  differences  among  objects  are  quantitative;  this  fact 
truly  implies  the  reason  of  substantial  identity  among  all  of 
these  and  among  all  their  constituent  parts,  whether  they 
are  ponderable  (atomic  matter)  or  imponderable  (progenic 
matter). 

We  have  proclaimed  the  similarity  of  essence  or  nature  in 
all  objects,  and  in  consonance  with  this  idea  it  seems  we  have 
answered  the  practical  question  which  has  tormented  thinkers 
from  the  earliest  age  of  science :  this  is,  the  problem  of  the 
possibility  of  the  transformation  of  matter  into  a  single  element, 
the  resolution  of  which  was  vainly  tried  by  alchymists.  The 
results  of  the  experience  in  chemical  analysis  are  practically  con- 
trary to  that  idea  of  analogy  in  the  quality  of  bodies,  because 
there  are  more  than  sixty  different  kinds  of  elements  which 
cannot  be  resolved  into  one  another,  and  for  this  reason  they 


MATTER  IN  GENERAL. 


27 


are  considered  as  simple  bodies  within  the  limits  of  chemical 
analysis.  This  proof  is  not  sufficient  reason  to  consider  them 
as  indivisible  or  irresoluble  in  mental  speculations,  and  there 
are  many  facts  besides  which  induce  us  to  see  fundamental 
connections  among  the  simple  bodies.  Among  other  facts 
we  must  keep  in  mind  that  the  slightest  change  in  the  numeric 
relations  of  elements  produces  the  greatest  changes  in  our 
qualitative  perceptions.  It  is  possible  to  conceive  the  chemical 
species  obtained  by  actual  analysis  as  elemental  in  a  series  of 
varieties  of  a  single  substance  which  differ  only  in  their  rela- 
tions or  atomic  and  progenic  dynamism.  This  possibility  of 
descriptive  analogy  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  mono- 
mania of  evolutionism,  which  does  not  accept  anything  as 
already  made  or  created  in  such  a  state,  because  even  if  the 
idea  of  material  equality  could  some  day  become  a  practical 
fact,  this  would  not  be  advantageous  for  the  speculative  asser- 
tions of  transformism ;  for  the  true  unity  of  the  system  consists 
in  the  unity  of  principle  and  plan  alone,  and  not  in  similarity 
in  the  substance  and  activity  of  material. 

Neither  must  we  confound  the  physiological  phrase  of 
material  similarity  with  the  ontological  phrase  of  common 
substance,  because  this  is  only  an  abstraction  born  from  the 
irreflexive  experience  of  the  fact  that  many  different  things  can 
be  made  of  the  same  material.  Atoms  and  progenic  parcels 
are  real  parts,  and  must  be  considered,  as  well  as  the  totality 
of  the   Cosmos,   as  things  in  activity,  and  not  as   a  passive 

substratum. 

Material  substance  is  either  ponderable  or  imponderable : 
the  former  is  a  condensation  into  diminutive,  indivisible  particles 
called  atoms,  and  the  latter  is  the  ether  of  the  physicists,  which 
we  call  progene,  and  which,  in  opposition  to  the  indivisible 
corpuscles  or  atoms,  is  distributed  into  variable  parcels.     To 


28 


GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


have  a  complete  idea  of  the  world  in  its  general  sense,  we 
must  make  further  application  of  the  general  concept  of  matter 
to  Its  two  fundamental  forms  separately,  and  afterwards  consider 
them  both  together  in  the  constitution  of  bodies 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

PONDERABLE    MATTER    (aTOMS). 

Physicists,  by  their  opinions  on  the  concept  of  matter 
are  generally  divided  into  two  parties,  both  standing  on  a 
false  basis-that  of  realising  an  abstraction  :  one  is  the  cor- 
puscular school,  and  the  other  the  dynamic.  The  first  in 
particular  occupies  our  attention,  for  it  is  generally  admitted 
by  the  authors. 

Atomism  conceives  all  matter  as  formed  of  passive  diminu- 
tive corpuscles,  endowed  with  extension-atoms,  or,  what  is  the 
same,  a  pure  mass  to  which  forces  are  aggregated,  and  so 
It  pretends  to  explain  the  identity  of  matter,  considering  the 
atom  as  a  common  element  and  principle  of  unity.  Physicists 
m  their  verbal  speculations  have  arrived  at  the  supposition 
that  such  material  entity  is  simple  or  elemental,  without 
distmction  of  quality  of  any  kind,  equal  or  identical  in  all 
things,  and  being  an  agent  or  unity  in  itself.  According  to 
atomism,  everything  should  be  an  aggregate  of  such  atomic 
entities-that  is,  a  particularisation  by  means  of  special  marks, 
owing  only  to  differences  of  numeric  quantity  and  geometric 
forms  of  atomic  aggroupation.  If  they  consider  the  atom  as 
simple,  elemental,  and  existing  in  and  by  itself,  they  recognise 
It  as   a   universal   being,   extending  this    supposition   to  all 


PONDERABLE  MATTER  (ATOMS).  99 

objective  things,  which  according  to  their  view  are  only  formed 
by  collections  of  atoms. 

We  must  explain  that  which  appears  to  be  by  that  which 
really  is ;  but  the  concept  of  atomism  does  not  follow  such 
a  maxim,  as  it  is  contrary  to  the  exigencies  of  science,  and  is 
so  deficient  besides  that  we  cannot  derive  from  it  the  explana- 
tion of  physiological  manifestations.  Furthermore,  it  is  notably 
strange  that  even  the  most  eminent  physicists  agree  in  sus- 
taining that  the  weight  of  atoms,  though  unknown  in  absolute, 
must  be  primordial,  inherent  or  persistent  under  all  conditions 
of  position  and  combination;  and  chemists  wholly  deduce 
the  present  chemical  hypothesis  from  such  an  erroneous 
assertion.  From  Dalton  the  hypothesis  of  chemical  atoms 
has  been  considered  as  a  true  interpretation  of  the  laws  of 
definite  and  multiple  proportions,  supposing  that  the  relations 
in  weight  according  to  which  the  bodies  are  combined  represent 
the  weight  of  the  most  diminutive  particles  called  atoms.  The 
system  of  atomic  weights  as  adopted  at  present  is  based  on 
the  discovery  of  the  law  of  volumes  (Gay-Lussac),  and  chemists 
say  that  the  cause  of  the  definite  proportions  in  which  bodies 
are  combined  when  they  form  different  compounds  is  that  all 
the  atoms  corresponding  to  the  same  species  of  elemental 
matter  are  equal  and  indivisible. 

Chemists  also  sustain  that  when  different  molecules  move  to 
form  a  combination  it  is  because  they  are  mutually  attracted— 
that  is,  they  have  aflSnity.  This  is  not  to  interpret  a  pheno- 
menon ;  it  is  simply  to  say  a  combination  occurs  "  because  .  .  ." 

In  the  literal  sense  affinity  is  a  selective  force,  and  at  the 
same  time  universally  engendered;  that  is  to  say,  a  force 
inherent  to  matter  considered  sometimes  as  endowed  with 
sympathetic  attraction,  and  at  others  with  antipathetic  repulsion. 
This  is  a  contradiction  to  the  principle  of  the  conservation  of 


^^SS, 


30 


GENERAL   PHYSIOLOGY, 


energy  and  to  the  laws  based  on  physiological  facts.  Such 
an  impossible  notion  about  abstract  forces  in  mechanism 
must  be  substituted  by  the  theory  of  direct  impulse  of  matter 
whose  variable  parcels  (progene)  and  indivisible  particles 
(atoms)  are  in  intermotion. 

We  must  consider  atoms  as  corpuscular  elements  having 
some  invariable  form,  but  with  relative  penetrability  in  their 
corresponding  porocular  spaces,  which  are  occupied  in  part 
by  the  progcnic  parcels.  Thus  conceiving  the  atom,  we  can 
perfectly  explain  the  phenomena  presented  in  bodies — that  is, 
the  physical  or  chemical  changes,  or,  better  to  say,  physiological 
changes, — but  thus  we  do  not  resolve  in  any  manner  the 
problem  of  Genesis  or  that  of  Primordial  Causality.  Therefore 
we  must  not  think  with  the  atomist  that  the  properties  of  all 
bodies  result  from  the  accumulation  of  atoms :  these  are  not 
absolute  unities,  they  are  only  relative ;  we  cannot  discover 
i  n  them  more  than  a  secondary  activity,  and  that  is  movement 
which  in  abstract  cannot  be  more  than  an  idea  of  quantitative 
distinctions  or  relations.  The  qualitative  distinctions  or  attri- 
butions of  objects  exist  only  in  the  mind  of  the  spectator 
through  the  differences  among  the  sensations  there  formed. 
Again,  we  must  not  consider  atoms  as  in  mutual  absolute 
independence,  but  as  dependent  and  subordinate  particles  in 
which  there  is  no  proper  cause  to  produce  in  the  natural 
order  the  combinations  for  the  collocation  of  matter  in  the 
acts  of  vital  generation.  The  most  primordial  effects  of  the 
order  of  the  System  we  shall  find  only  in  ovular  existence  or 

Vitality. 

If  the  sole  mode  of  change  in  atoms  is  movement,  in  this 
must  consist  the  difference  among  the  so-called  atomic  pro- 
perties. To  determine  the  properties  and  forms  of  bodies  we 
must  directly  refer,  not  to   similar  properties   and   forms  of 


PONDERABLE  MATTER  (ATOMS), 


31 


atoms,  but   to  their  dynamic   relations  with  progene  as  well 
as  among  themselves,  including  here  also  "solidity,"  which 
must  undoubtedly  be  a  product  or  dynamic  result,  and  not 
an  immutable   attribute.      Atoms   cannot    be    considered   as 
endowed  with  absolute  or  immutable  extension,  because  in 
separating  from    one    another,  more  or  less  as   an  effect  of 
the  changes  in  progenic  oscillation,  they  acquire  the  control 
of  more  or  less  space,  and  from  this  arise  thermic  variations 
m  volume.     Neither  can  atoms  move  from  their  places  without 
the  interference  of  some  forcing  power :  this  means  to  say 
that  the  qualities  of  bodies  which  we  may  comprehend  under 
the  term  "  materiality  "  depend  as  proximate  effects  on  the 
mutual  action,  intermotion,  of  ponderable  and  imponderable 
elements,  and  not  on  properties  inherent  to  atoms.     Further- 
more, atoms  could,   perhaps,  statically,  completely  fill  space, 
but  being  then  in  a  passive  state,  they  could  not  represent 
or  reveal  anything  to  our  perceptions ;  in  order  to  produce 
sensations  they  must  be   in  activity  or  movement— that  is, 
dynamically — in  which  state  it  is  impossible  to  imagine  the 
absolute  fulness  of  space.     In  fine,  in  the  phenomenal  world 
or  manifested    reality,    even  extension  and  penetrability   (in 
atomic  parcels  as  much  as  in  bodies)  are  variable  as  a  result 
of  the  changes  of  movement,  which  vary  in  quantity  or  in- 
tensity according  to  the  energy,  not  of  one  part,  particle  or 
parcel  alone,  but  in  accordance  with    the    interaction  of  all 
those  which  act  in  contact.     The  properties  of  atoms,  then, 
depend  proximately  on  their  interaction   with  progene,   and 
the  objective  primordial  effects  are  those  of  vitality. 


J I 


3a 


GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


CHAPTER    IX. 

IMPONDERABLE   MATTER    (pROGENE). 

Some  scientists  have   fruitlessly  endeavoured  to  explain  the 
phenomena  of  nature  without  recognising  in  Cosmos  anything 
but  ponderable  matter.     We  must  admit  a  relative,  not  an 
absolute  dualism  in  objective  things,  recognising  two  kinds 
of  matter,  because  some  propagations  of  changes  in  irradiation 
without  visible  movement,  as  sound,  light,  and  radiating  heat, 
and  also  the  latent  or  potential  states,  as  electricity,  can  only 
be  explained  by  means  of  an  imponderable  matter  which  we 
call  progene.     This  matter,  which  is  already  actually  admitted 
by  almost  all  physicists  under  the  name  of  ether,  to  explain 
light,  heat,  and  electricity,   must  also   be   recognised  as  the 
means  through   which  sound    is  propagated.     (This  will   be 
explained  in  the  Second  Part.) 

Bodies  are  complex  objects  constituted  by  the  fundamental 
forms  of  matter,  ponderable  and  imponderable.  Hence  sub- 
stances actually  considered  as  chemically  simple,  are  simple 
only  in  a  relative  sense,  considering  ponderable  matter  alone. 
There  is  no  more  than  a  simple  object  in  all  nature ;  this  is 
the  interstellar  progene— that  is,  the  ultra-atmospheric  meta- 
fluid  which  is  generally  recognised  by  physicists  as  the  great 
ocean  of  imponderable  ether. 

We  have  proved  the  necessity  of  admitting  in  science 
qualitative  identity  among  the  things  of  nature,  although  this 
is  not  a  fact  of  irreflexive  experience.  Reason  teaches  us 
that  all  objective  difference  is  quantitative,  and  therefore 
that,  within  the  reach   of   our  perceptions  at  least,  there  is 


IMPONDERABLE  MATTER  (PROGENE). 


33 


nothing  perceptible  in  Cosmos    but  the  relations  among  the 
parts  without   any    essential   or  attributive  distinction.      All 
changes    appreciable    to    the    senses— that    is,    physiological 
phenomena,  progenic  as  well  as  molecular  and  molar— consist 
in  changes  of  matter  in  movement  derivatively  produced  by 
the  mutual  action  of  cosmic  parts,  the  change  effected  being 
primordially  in  vital  genesis.     In  the  changes  of  nature,  even 
in  those  called  imponderable  (progenic  were  a  better  name), 
there  is  mutual  or  reciprocal  quantivalence  :  by  this  we  mean, 
that  the  same  force  necessary  to  produce  a  determined  con- 
sequent must  be  employed  to  effect  the  inverse  change— that 
is,  to  produce  that  which  was  antecedent  by  means  of  the 
other,  which  before  served  as  a  consequent.     Progene,  there- 
fore,  differs   from   ponderable   matter   in   quantity  only:  the 
quality  or  essence  of  all  objects  is  the  same. 

The  constitution  of  imponderable  matter  has  been  very 
much  discussed,  some  authors  sustaining  that  it  is  atomic 
(discontinuous),  and  others  that  it  is  continuous  matter. 
Neither  of  these  two  extreme  opinions  can  be  accepted.  The 
arguments  given  in  favour  of  the  atomic  idea  prove  no  more 
than  that  there  is  no  continuity  in  progene.  The  facts 
observed  in  progenic  propagations  induce  us  to  conceive 
progene  as  distributed  in  parcels  which  may  exchange  matter 
among  themselves  without  any  limit  existing  to  such  divisi- 
bility. On  the  other  hand,  the  admission  of  vacuum  is  as 
necessary  to  the  theory  of  Cosmos  as  is  that  of  atoms  them- 
selves. In  fact,  vacuum  is  necessary  in  order  that  atoms  and 
progene  can  move:  yet  it  is  not  absolute,  it  is  only  relative ; 
porocular  space  is  full,  although  in  an  interrupted  manner,  of 
imponderable  matter  or  progene  in  movement.  There  exists, 
then,  a  relative  vacuum  among  atoms  which  is  not  permanent, 
but  which  is  successively  occupied  and  interrupted  by   the 

3 


'k 


34 


GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


constant  change  of  position  of  imponderable  matter— inter- 
stellar and  interstitial  progene  in  movement. 

We  shall  see  in  the  progenic  theories  of  Special  Physiology 
and  Synthetic  Physiology  that  the  propagations  through  inter- 
stellar progene  must  be  instantaneous,  including  their  two  forms, 
photothermic  irradiations  as  the  sunlight,  and  thermic  as  the 
invisible  propagations  of  the  planets. 

The  sun  is  nothing  more  than  a  great  focus  of  progenic 
reflection,  transferring  the  thermic  irradiations  which  are 
produced  in  the  planets  by  living  bodies,  especially  by  animals, 
into  photothermic  irradiations  or  light.  The  sun  has  no 
proper  force  of  attraction  or  of  emission ;  the  changes  of 
interplanetary  gravitation  we  shall  see  explained  in  Biology 
by  the  periodicity  of  vital  activity,  especially  in  vegetables, 
gravity  resulting  from  the  transference  of  ultra-atmospheric 
radiations  of  progene  into  movements  of  the  mass  of  our 
planet.  Accordingly  the  hub  of  material  circulation  is  the 
potence  of  Vitality,  and  not  any  force  of  solar  irradiation  nor 
any  other  of  mere  mechanical  character,  as  gravitation. 

This  is  not  the  opportune  place  to  consider  at  length  the 
parallel  and  diflercncc  between  gravitation  and  the  forms  of 
radiating  action  of  progene ;  but  we  will  make  this  distinction 
clear,  in  order  to  avoid  confusion  and  to  relieve  ourselves  from 
combating  in  detail  most  of  the  arguments  which  have  been 
advanced  against  the  concept  of  gravitation  as  explained  by 
progene  (imponderable  ether). 

Gravitation,  according  to  our  hypothesis  of  progene,  is  a  move- 
ment precisely  opposite  to  that  of  radiation :  it  is  a  movement 
in  which  the  resultant  forces  are  approximated  or  concentrated 
in  the  direction  of  the  propagation  according  to  the  ratio  of 
the  square  root  of  the  distance ;  while  in  radiations  like  those 
of  light   the  resultant  forces,  on  the  contrary,  are  eccentric, 


IMPONDERABLE  MATTER  (PROGENE). 


35 


separating  in  the  direction  of  propagation  in  the  ratio  of  the 
second  power  of  the  distance.     Thus,  then,  a  power  of  radiation 
is  centrifugal,  while  gravitation  is  centripetal ;  radiation  is  an 
efferent  action  from  the  forces,  and  gravitation  is  the  reverse, 
afferent  towards  the  forces  of  the  sphere  in  action.     In  spite 
of  such  antagonism,  the  action  of  gravitation  is  not  a  thing 
absolutely  different  from  irradiation;  both  are  direct  effects 
from  the  movements  of  the  same  intermediate  agent — progene  ; 
their  differences  are  relative,  and  we  have  effectively  marked 
as  the  sole  distinctive  character  between  them  that  they  are 
opposite    in    their    directions,   from   this    alone    arising    the 
antagonism  of  the   interstitial   effects  in  bodies.     Irradiation 
being  eccentric  or  centrifugal,  acts  as  a  repulsive  force  in  its 
molecular  transferences,  and  gravitation  being  on  the  contrary 
concentric  or  centripetal,  acts  as  an  attractive  force  ;  and  from 
this  arises  the    physiological   analogy   between    the    phrases 
universal  attraction  and  universal  gravitation. 

We  do  not  deem  worthy  of  consideration  the  objection  in 
regard  to  interplanetary  gravitation  made  by  Arago,  who  has 
said  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  action  of  gravity 
is  instantaneous,  anj  that  if  universal  attraction  were  the 
result  of  the  impulsion  of  a  fluid,  its  action  must  need  a 
definite  time  in  crossing  the  immense  distance  which  separates 
the  celestial  bodies.  This  criticism  would  be  fatal  if  we 
consider  interstellar  progene  of  an  atomic  or  absolutely 
discontinuous  constitution,  as  atomists  see  gases  when  they 
are  highly  rarefied,  but  it  does  not  in  any  manner  affect  the 
concept  formed  by  us  of  interstellar  fluid. 

Other  contrarieties  of  the  hypothesis  of  ether  have  resulted 
from  endowing  imponderable  meta-fluid  with  inherent  elasticity  ; 
and,  according  to  the  authors,  with  this  condition  it  should  be 
provided  with  a  force  of  pressure  proportional  to  its  density 


36 


GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


It  is  inconceivable  that  a  perfectly  simple  and  imponderable 
means  should  be  elastic,  and  still  less  that  it  should  be 
dense. 

Here  we  will  make  no  further  mention  of  progenic  changes, 
because  they  will  form  the  topics  of  Progenic  Physiology  in  the 
Second  Part. 


CHAPTER  X. 

CONSTITUTION    OF    BODIES,    ESPECIALLY   OF   GASES. 

The  true  atomic  and  molecular  constitution  of  bodies  exists 
only  in  their  gaseous  state,  and  for  this  reason  the  study  of  the 
constitution  of  gases  is  the  most  interesting.  To  think  rightly 
on  the  constitution  of  gases,  it  is  necessary  first  to  fix  the  facts 
establishing  the  generalisations  called  laws,  and  afterwards  to 
select  the  theoretical  ideas  that  must  be  considered  as  evident 
or  very  probable  in  order  to  infer  a  logical  interpretation  of 
such  empirical  laws.  These  are  three :  ist,  All  gases  (simple 
and  compound)  change  volume  equally  when  they  are  subjected 
to  the  same  variations  of  temperature  and  pressure ;  2nd,  All 
gases  have  the  same  fixed  relation  (with  slight  differences) 
between  their  capacity  under  a  constant  pressure  and  their 
capacity  under  a  constant  volume ;  3rd,  Gases  are  combined 
in  very  simple  relations  (first  digits  or  the  most  simple  fractions 
I,  2,  3  .  .  .  .  1^,  ^,  §),  and  the  resultant  of  a  combination  of 
gases  is  also  in  a  simple  relation  with  the  sum  of  the  com- 
ponents. 

For  the  interpretation  of  these  facts  we  must  remember  the 
true  concept  of  matter  and  that  of  the  constitution  of  bodies 
in  general,  without  forgetting  principally  the  influence  of  the 


CONSTITUTION  OF  GASES. 


37 


universal  means — imponderable  matter  or  progene.  We  must 
not  admit  in  our  reasonings  the  intervention  of  absurd  mo- 
lecular  forces,  nor  of  other  actions  at  a  distance. 

The  relations  of  volumes  before  expressed  show  us  that 
gaseous  bodies  have  their  particles  distributed  with  regularity, 
and  that  they  can  be  considerably  separated  from  one  another 
in  comparison  with  their  volume.  Therefore  the  energy  of 
progene  among  the  minimum  particles  must  be  equal  through- 
out when  the  gas  does  not  experience  any  change  either  of 
temperature  or  pressure,  for  progene  being  free,  any  change 
of  temperature  will  be  propagated  through  it  to  re-establish  a 
uniform  equilibrium.  Thus,  for  instance,  when  the  capacity 
of  the  vessel  which  contains  a  gas  is  reduced,  the  pressure  will 
increase  first  on  the  particles  nearer  the  walls  of  the  vessel,  but 
will  be  at  once  transmitted  by  means  of  progene  as  far  as  the 
most  distant  ones,  and  so  the  volume  of  the  gas  will  be  reduced 
with  sensible  equality  in  all  its  parts.  When  a  gas  is  heated, 
progenic  energy  is  propagated  to  it;  the  increase  of  energy 
may  be  only  in  the  velocity  of  its  oscillations,  or  in  its  ampli- 
tude ;  the  former  occurs  when  a  gas  is  completely  enclosed  in 
a  constant  volume,  and  the  latter  when  the  pressure  limiting 
the  gas  is  constantly  the  same — that  is,  when  the  gas  can  freely 
expand  according  as  it  is  heated.  From  this  it  results  that 
every  gas  must  have  its  particles  more  or  less  separated  in 
relation  with  the  temperature  and  the  pressure,  the  intervals 
being  equal  in  all  parts  of  the  same  gas  if  they  are  submitted 
to  the  same  conditions  of  temperature  and  pressure ;  but  the 
intervals  must  be  different  according  to  the  weight  and  volume 
of  the  minimum  particles  of  every  gas,  because  the  greater  is 
the  atomic  matter  the  greater  must  also  be  the  quantity  of 
progene,  nearly  in  the  relation  as  i  :  2.  This  is  inferred  from 
the  46%  loss  of  force  in  movement. 


A 


38 


GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


This  idea  is  contrary  to  that  enunciated  by  the  hypothesis 
of  Avogadro,  which  is  that  cciual  volumes  of  gases  or  vapour 
contain  the  same  number  of  molecules ;   but  we  must  remark 
that  Avogadro  called  molecule  a  portion  of  any  gas  enclosed  in 
a  volume  always  the  same  for  all  gases.     We  see  that  this  is 
merely  a  tautological  explanation  of  the  laws  of  Boyle  and 
Mariotte,  the  same  idea  defined  with  synonymous  words— that 
is,  that  all  gases  occupy  the  same  volume  under   the  same 
pressure  and  temperature.     This  tells  us  nothing  of  the  propor- 
tion of  ponderable  and  imponderable  matter  in  the  constitution 
of  bodies ;  still  less  does  it  take  into  account  the  porocules 
which  contain  the  interstitial  progene,  and  that  form  part  of 
the  volume  called  by  chemists  atomic  and  molecular. 

The  adoption  of  atomic  weights  is  also  a  conclusion  contrary 
to  the  said  hypothesis,  for  there  is  no  exact  proportion  between 
atomic  weights  and  the  density  of  vapours  and  gaseous  bodies, 
asi  is  clearly  seen  with  mercury,  phosphorus,  arsenic  and 
sulphur. 

Spectrum  analysis  has  given  us  great  knowledge,  and  will 
give  us  still  more,  on  the  intimate  constitution  of  bodies— that 
is,  on  the  arrangement  of  the  particles  in  the  different  states, 
distinguishing  the  molecules  from  the  hydrocules  and  orocules' 
and  thus  also  differentiating  the  ponderable  particles  from  the 
imponderable  ether  or  progene  existing  among  the  said  par- 
ticles. 

In  order  to  interpret  correctly  spectroscopic  facts,  it  is 
necessary  to  bear  in  mind  that  as  corporeal  particles,  being 
ponderable,  must  suffer  a  continual  loss  of  living  force,  so  any 
of  their  movements  must  l)e  arrested  soon  after  the  action  of 
impulsive  force  has  ceased ;  and  this  affirmation  is  also  appli- 
cable to  vibratory  movements,  however  minute  or  invisible. 

Therefore  the  interpretation  of  light  and  spectrum  according 


CONSTITUTION  OF  BODIES. 


39 


to  the  kinetic  hypothesis  of  molecular  vibrations  is  completely 
erroneous.  In  our  real  or  practical  reflections  we  can  subtract 
only  imponderable  matter  from  the  action  of  gravity,  as  this 
is  the  only  substance  capable  of  keeping  in  movement  when 
ponderable  matter  is  not  opposed  to  it. 

Great  differences  exist  in  the  intimate  constitution  of  gases, 
liquids,  and  solids.  In  liquids  the  molecules  are  not  com 
pletely  isolated  from  one  another*— they  are  grouped  in  series 
of  twos,  so  forming  hydrocules ;  and  in  solids  the  hydrocules 
are  grouped  in  indefinite  numbers,  forming  series  of  cells 
called  orocules,  which,  when  arranged  with  harmony,  sym- 
metry, or  regular  proportions,  constitute  crystalloid  bodies. 

The  complete  explanation  and  proof  of  the  constitution  of 
bodies  belongs  to  the  "  Theory  of  Heat "  in  the  Second  Part. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


INERTIA   OF   MATTER. 


The  realisation  of  abstractions  is  nothing  in  material  reality, 
and  nothing  can  be  imagined  or  can  be  conceived  as  resulting 
from  it.  Therefore  it  is  as  impossible  to  construct  an  object 
by  a  synthesis  of  abstract  forces  as  it  is  by  the  aggregation 
of  corpuscles  absolutely  inert  or  passive.  Everything  in  the 
Universe  is  subordinated  to  the  purpose  and  fixed  aim  of  the 
Creator,  who  continually  determines  the  manifested  activity  of 
Nature  by  organic  generations ;  in  organism  the  transformation 
of  potential  (not  manifested)  changes  into  actual  or  phenomenal 
is  constantly  produced  :  we  can  never  find  in  any  object  the 
principle  of  such  constant  activity;  this  always  results  from 
the  propagation  of  movement  among  objects,  and  this  is  the 


I 


^  GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 

true  idea  of  the  inertia  of  matter.     Hence   inertia   does   not 
presuppose    want    of   effected,    but   of    causal   activity;    the 
difference  between  the  agency  of  life  and  the  inertia  of  matter 
IS  that  the  former  produces  manifested  generation,  while  inertia 
only  produces   propagation   with   phenomenal    loss.      Death 
does  not  signify  annihilation,  but  a  ceasing  of  the  generation 
of  hvmg  force  which  produces  the  manifested  changes       In 
order  that  a  latent  change  in  a  body  should  become  patent, 
some  antecedent   determining   such  conversion  is  necessary  • 
the  organisms  are  the  only  laboratory  or  machines  for  such 
a  metamorphosis,  in  which  there  is  profit  or  multiplication  of 
disposable   force,   and   therefore   the    true    Primordial    Cause 
Of  activity  m  the  natural  system  acts  directly  in  them.     That 
IS   to  say,  the  primordial   effect   in   the   universe   is   organic 
genemion,  and    from    this    all    physiological    knowledge    is 

Inertia   essentially  presupposes  force,  instead   of  being   an 
opposite  term,  as  it  appears  from  the  etymological  sense  and 
vulgar  applications  of  the  word.     In  this  sense  there  is  nothing 
manifested  that  can  be  absolutely  inert  or  passive,  because  all 
sensual  manifestation  supposes  movement  or  material  activity  • 
thus    then,  inertia   must   not   be   considered   as  a  resistance' 
absolutely  passive.      Even   the   definitions    of    the    ancients 
express  correlation  between  inertia  and   force,  although,  like 
our  contemporaries,  they  were  under  the  control  of  the  same 
ontolpgical  error.     In  accordance  with  Newton,  many  authors 
have  defined  inertia  as  an  inherent  force  of  matter,  by  virtue 
of  which  matter  has  in  itself  the  power  to  resist  any  change 
from  the  state  of  repose  and  of  uniform  rectilinear  movement 
bome  modem  authors,  trying  to  reconcile  the  vulgar  to  the 
scientific  sense  of  the  word  inertia,  say  that  matter  is  powerless  to 
change  its  situation  of  repose  or  of  movement  on  account  of  the 


INERTIA  OF  MATTER, 


41 


effect  of  the  resistance  of  mass — that  is,  of  the  quantity  of  matter 
considered  as  resistent  to  the  communication  of  movement. 
This  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  the  definition  of  Newton ; 
it  declares  the  fact,  but  leaves  it  without  explanation. 

Absolute  inertia,  like  passive  matter  or  mass  in  absolute, 
is  nothing.  If  for  a  misinterpreted  illusion  we  try  to  conceive 
a  body  as  isolated  in  absolute— that  is,  alone,  without  any 
connection  with  others,  we  cannot  obtain  even  the  idea  of  a 
passive  body,  because  all  manifestation  results  from  the  mutual 
action  among  bodies,  and  therefore  a  truly  passive  object 
could  not  be  anything  perceived  by  the  senses— that  is,  it 
could  not  be  known  to  us. 

The  law  of  inertia  is  no  more  nor  less  than  the  principle 
of  conservation,  enunciated  in  different  words  but  with  exactly 
the  same  meaning.  The  word  inertia  could  be  suppressed  in 
science  without  being  missed ;  it  is  simply  a  brief  expression 
representing  the  facts  of  the  principle  of  conservation. 

The  law  of  inertia  embraces  the  animate  as  well  as  the 
inanimate  world,  the  organism  of  rational  as  well  as  of  ir- 
rational beings.  The  two  forms  of  created  activity— which  are 
movement  or  physical  activity,  and  mind  or  psychical  activity 
—are  both  engendered,  but  how  we  do  not  know;  we  can 
only  say  that  organised  matter  is  as  incapable  as  inorganic  is 
of  originating  or  producing  a  primordial  activity. 

Movement  and  repose  are  not  opposite  facts,  but  a  purely 
relative  distinction,— as  we  may  consider  any  object  in  the 
universe  either  as  in  repose  or  in  movement,  according  to 
the  point  we  take  as  a  standard  of  comparison.  Nevertheless, 
it  is  a  common  occurrence  with  philosophers  of  nature  to 
suppose  they  can  conciliate  in  thought  the  absolute  reality 
of  movement  and  repose  with  their  apparent  phenomenal 
relativity.     To   heighten   this  error,  some   have   admitted   in 


'^. 


4a  GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 

space  a  centre  or  point  in  absolute  repose,  to  which  they 
could  refer  the  position  of  all  bodies  in  absolute.  This  is 
no  more  than  an  expression  of  chimerical  language,  abusing 
its  power  by  making  it  express  even  the  inconceivable— phrases 
without  any  signification  of  course  being  the  result. 

Movement  is  the  general  fact  that  must  be  recognised  in 
all  mutation  or  material  change,  whether  manifested  or  not 
manifested  directly  to  our  senses.  It  is  the  ultimatum  in 
our  understanding  for  the  interpretation  of  phenomena  and 
potentiality  of  nature ;  beyond  that  our  rational  experience 
cannot  reach.  Movement,  being  an  abstraction,  cannot  be 
anything  primordial :  there  must  exist  some  why  or  wherefore 
in  order  that  objects  should  move.  Observation  proves  to 
us  the  constant  laws  of  mechanical  force  ;  for  if  a  constant 
reparation  were  not  experienced  in  the  world,  all  physiological 
manifestations  would  soon  cease.  This  is  the  true  concept 
of  material  inertia. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Generation  of  Phenomena  :    Cause  of  the  System. 

(Conclusion  of  General  Physiology.) 

If  we  are  convinced  that  every  mechanical  change  springs 
from  movement,  it  can  be  in  no  other  manner  than  as  it  is ; 
the  variability  of  cause  and  effect  in  the  succession  of  pheno- 
mena is  no  more  than  apparent,  because,  after  a  profound 
analysis  of  nature,  we  can  say  that  there  is  a  perfect  correlation 
in  mechanical  changes  between  the  antecedent  and  the  con- 
sequent, or  in  other  words  between  direct  or  immediate 
cause  and  effect.     It   is  an  error  to  confound  all  the  con- 


GENERATION  OF  PHENOMENA. 


43 


sequences  which  succeed  a  change,  with  that  which  is  really 
the  sole  immediate  or  direct  effect  from  an  antecedent,  for 
in  language  and  observation  the  intermediate  changes  between 
facts  that  appear  to  be  in  direct  succession  are  frequently 
omitted.  In  the  immediate  succession  of  natural  mutations 
a  cause  can  only  be  followed  by  an  effect,  and  in  the  same 
manner  an  effect  must  be  preceded  only  by  a  cause  always 
identical. 

The  validity  of  this  assertion  is  confirmed  by  the  law  of 
uniform  identity,  because  what  is  true  once  must  be  true  all 
the  time  if  the  circumstances  of  the  case  are  the  same.  This 
theoretical  truth  nevertheless  has  no  practical  application, 
because  our  power  in  rational  experience  is  as  yet  very 
limited. 

Mechanical  activity  manifesting  change  in  phenomenal  move- 
ments cannot  be  admitted  as  perpetually  existing  in  the  world. 
Phenomena  in  a  simple  mechanism  cannot  persist  without 
some  cause  acting  as  a  continuous  agent  or  permanent  motor, 
because  the  weight  or  force  determined  by  gravity  is  a  constant 
cause  of  resistance  to  sensible  motion,  for  without  such  a  motor 
gravity  would  soon  neutralise  all  manifested  movements.  If 
a  continued  perturbation  were  not  produced  in  vitality,  the 
universe  would  very  soon  be  reduced  to  absolute  uniformity 
in  movement  withou  any  variation.  Such  would  be  the 
uniform  oscillatory  movement  of  progene,  it  alone  would  then 
remain  in  such  activity,  which  could  not  be  manifested  by 
any  sensation,  for  this  supposes  change,  and  it  is  not  possible  to 
perceive  anything  in  the  world  if  it  could  exist  with  absolute 
uniformity.  Although  material  change  supposes  movement, 
if  matter  could  exist  in  absolute,  uniform  movement,  there 
would  be  no  change— still  less  changes  which  are  manifested 
to  the  senses  ;  therefore  such  existence  could  not  be  phenomenal 


44 


GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


GENERATION  OF  PHENOMENA. 


4S 


or  real,  nor  could  it  even  find  a  place  in  our  imagination ;  and 
the  universe  in  such  a  state  of  mere  illusion,  although  endowed 
with  oscillatory  progenia  movement,  would  have  its  ponderable 
matter,  and  consequently  all  bodies,  in  absolute  equilibrium 
without  the  slightest  change  either  in  the  masses  or  in  the 
particles. 

The  primordial  change  effected  in  Cosmos  is  the  movement 
of  collocation,  by  which  the  growth  of  living  bodies  is  produced ; 
and  such  a  movement  cannot  result  in  principle  from  another' 
neither  can  it  be  produced   automatically :  an  original  gene- 
rating agent,  different  from  movement,  must  be  the  cause  or 
reason  of  the  phenomenal  synthesis  called  vitality.     Such   a 
principle  of  change  does  not  determine,  in  fact,  a  complete 
creation,  neither  is  its  effect  a  true  transference ;  but  it  is  an 
engendering   propagation  :   phenomenal  energy  is   multiplied 
every  newly-formed  individual  acquiring  the  same  capacity  a^ 
Its  original,  which  is  a  fact  contrary  to  the  constant  correlation 
with  loss  of  living   force   in   mechanical   propagations.     The 
power  of  change  and  proper  activity,  then,  which  the   Vital 
Principle  necessarily  has,  must  not  be  considered  as  movement, 
but  as  a  Governing  Intelligence.  From  confounding  the  Primor' 
dial  Energy  or  True  Absolute  Cause  with  the  effects  derived 
from  material  activity,  the  results  are  the  erroneous  conceptions 
of  the  atomic  theory  and  of  all  other  materialistic  doctrines, 
including  the  explanation  of  cosmic  evolution  by  transformism! 
There  is  nothing  unconditionally  absolute  in  the   physical 
world  or  objective  reality.     In  the  same  manner  as  there  is  no 
absolute  passive  existence  or  activity  without  substance,  nor 
absolute  system  of  co-ordinates  in  space,  nor  absolute  measure 
m  duration,  so  there  is  nothing  absolute  in  nature,   however 
complex  the  concepts  of  its  abstractions  may  result ;  because 
all   objects  experience   mutual  action,  this  supposes  physical 


change,  and  physical  change  is  always  the  relation  between 
two  or  among  many  objects.  Thus,  then,  even  the  word 
absolute  itself,  when  it  is  employed  in  material  determinations, 
implies  relativity  ;  it  is  no  more  than  an  abstraction  of  relativity, 
and  not  the  true  absolute. 

Phenomena  must  not  be  directly  referred  by  their  causality 
to  the  field  of  atoms,  but  to  the  proximate  agency  of  the 
Supreme — that  is,  to  the  ovule  and  its  derived  cellules  forming 
the  complex  organisms.  Hence  atomic  phenomena  are  not 
primordial  manifestations  of  the  universal  plan,  but  are  derived 
from  the  ovular,  and  those  are  therefore  in  a  secondary  relation 
to  the  Primordial  Cause. 

It  is  impossible  to  construct  the  System  with  elements 
mutually  independent ;  the  action  of  everything  must  be 
(directly  or  indirectly)  determined  by  the  cause  of  all  or  unity 
of  system.  In  mechanism,  which  is  the  physiological  existence 
and  not  the  totality  of  the  universal  system,  we  only  know 
the  interaction  or  mutual  determination  of  objects,  and  these 
not  having  any  subjectivity,  must  be  originated  in  their 
activities  by  something  outside  of  themselves ;  every  object, 
being  only  a  member  of  the  system,  must  be  in  accordance 
with  what  the  necessity  of  the  system;  requires.  Thus,  then, 
the  primordial  cause  of  change  in  Cosmos  must  be  referred 
to  something  foreign  to,  not  within,  itself;  it  cannot  be  found 
in  the  physical  elements,  as  atomists  suppose,  because  other- 
wise the  state  of  an  element  at  any  moment  would  not  be  in 
accordance  with  the  necessities  of  the  others,  and  in  this 
manner  there  could  be  no  system. 

An  error  equal  to  that  of  materialistic  atomism  is  the  foun- 
dation of  pure  dynamism.  It  is  not  a  syllogistic  contradiction 
to  suppose  a  world  of  things  without  extension  or  mutual 
relation  like  abstract  forces ;  but  such  things  w^ould  be  inde- 


46 


GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


pendent  of  one  another,  and  then  they  could  not  explain  the 
real  world  in  which  observation  shows  us  the  action  among  its 
parts,  which  form  a  whole,  without  any  one  thing  independent 
of  the  others. 

Finally,    some    philosophers    affirm    that    an     immutable 
universe,  m  absolute  repose,  is   perhaps   conceivable  by  the 
deductive  logic  of  pure  reason  ;  but  even  if  this  were  possible, 
It  could  not  explain  any  of  the  phenomena  of  the  real  world 
which    in  ultimate  analysis  presupposes  beings  in  movement 
as  capable  only  of  relative  change,  reciprocally  quantivalcnt 
mtermotion.*      Any  other  conception  of  matter  and  of  the 
constituents   of   bodies   would   be  gratuitous,  and    must    be 
esteemed  as  useless,  because  it  is  not  sufficient  that  the  notion 
acquired  should  be,  or  appear  to  be,  logically  consistent ;  it 
must   besides   include   in    itself  the  ground    of  all   possible 
manifestation. 

We  must  relegate  to  the  third  part  of  this  work,  Abstract 
Biology,  the  complete  interpretation  of  the  mechanical  principle 
—that  is,  of  the  so^alled  law  of  conservation  or  persistency  • 
because  this  law  is  only  true  when  it  refers  to  the  reality  of 
the  System-that  is,  to  the  Universe-but  not  if  it  is  only 
applied  to  the  mechanism  of  manifested  changes  or  pheno- 
menal Cosmos       Hence  the  conservation  of  material  energy 
comprehends   not  only  the   state   of  active  forces,  but  also 
potential  or   latent  forces  ;    and    not    only  mechanical   pro- 
pagations, but  also  the  changes  generated  in  vitality,  as  the 
organisms  constantly  repair  the  phenomenal  energy  which  is 
continually  dissipated  in  the  inorganic  world. 

mot,!!'  ""  '"'"■"'•"''"  ">=  in'eraction  of  objects,  as  it  is  nothing  but 


I 


PART    SECOND. 


PRINCIPLES     OF    SPECIAL     PHYSIOLOGY, 

CHAP.    XIII.  Province  and  Division  of  Special  Physiology. 
M         XIV.  Molar  Physics  :   Visible  Movements  and  Equi- 
librium OF  Bodies. 
„  XV.  Molecular  Physics  :  Heat  and  Chemical  Changes. 

„         XVI.  Progenic  Physics  in  General. 
„        XVII.  Progenic  Phenomena  :  Sound  and  Light. 

XVIII.  Progenic    Potence    (Potential    Physics)  :     Elec- 
tricity AND  Latent  Heat. 


PART    SECOND. 


PRINCIPLES     OF     SPECIAL     PHYSIOLOGY. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

PROVINCE    AND    DIVISION    OF    SPECIAL    PHYSIOLOGY. 

In  order  to  make  a  correct  analysis  of  nature,  we  must  classify 
Its  special  abstractions  into  logical  departments,  thus  stating 
the  right  method  which  must  be  followed  in  its  study  With 
this  aim  we  add  the  following  table,  which  shows  at  a  glance 
what  every  department  comprehends,  as  well  as  the  scope  of 
the  whole. 


Changes 
of 

Ponderable 
Matter 

Changes 

of 

Imponderable 

Matter  ; 

Progenic 

Physics 


{Visible  masses : 
Molar  Physics. 
Invisible  corpuscles  ; 
Molecular  Physics. 

Phenomenal  changes, 

or 
Progenic  phenomena. 

Potential  changes, 

or 
.Progenic  potence. 


r  Statics. 
\D3rnamics. 

/Thermics. 
\  Chemics. 


J  Acoustics. 

1  Photothermics  (Optics). 

J  Electrics. 

1  Potential  Thermics. 

NoTES.~i.  We  have  adjusted  the  endings  of  all  these  denominations 
according  to  the  most  significant  suffix  technically  employed. 

actual   but''"   ^?''"''^"  ''  "°^   ^"P^°^^   '-  ^^^  --  -ntraiy  to 
a  tual,  but  as  contrary  to  what  is  phenomenal  or  manifest  to  our  senses 
It  is  a  relative,  not  an  absolute  term. 

Let  us  now  give  a  slight  explanation  of  this  table.     We  see 


50 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


by  it  that  the  analytical  abstractions  of  nature  are  grouped  in 
three  great  departments,  called  Molar,  Molecular,  and  Progenic 
Physics. 

Molar  phenomena,  which  consist  in  total  movements  of  the 
whole  mass  of  objects,  are  recognised  in  their  form  by  imme- 
diate perception,  that  is,  by  the  direct  experience  of  the  senses, 
as  we  perceive  the  equilibrium  and  movement  of  masses  by 
two  senses,  touch  and  sight. 

The  forms  of  invisible  movements  which  are  molecular  and 
progenic  are  inferred  from  those  which  are  visible.  The 
phenomena  resulting  from  invisible  movements  may  determine 
either  special  sensations,  as  heat,  sound,  and  light,  or  may  be 
known  by  many  different  sensations  without  any  specific 
perception,  as  in  chemical  metamorphoses.  Besides  the  changes 
here  mentioned,  we  admit  others  which  are  not  manifested,  as 
they  do  not  produce  any  phenomena  either  of  special  or  of 
different  sensations,  and  for  this  reason  we  class  them  under 
the  head  of  potential  changes.  No  sense  can  receive  direct 
sensations  from  them  :  we  do  not  perceive  progene  while  it  is 
confined  as  electricity,  or  irradiated  under  infra-luminous 
conditions  as  radiating  heat.  In  these  cases  progene,  in  order 
to  be  manifested,  must  transfer  its  motion  into  one  of  those 
changes  previously  mentioned  which  are  phenomenal,  as  sound 
and  light,  heat  and  chemical  changes,  magnetic  movements 
and  falling  of  bodies  by  gravity.  Accordingly,  electricity  is 
not  a  true  phenomenal  change;  nevertheless  the  effect  of  its 
transference  into  manifested  changes  are  ordinarily,  though 
equivocally,  considered  as  electricity  itself. 

The  first  department,  Molar  Physics,  must  not  treat  of 
anything  but  visible  states,  which  may  result  from  translated 
or  from  return  movements,  and  translated  movements  may  be 
either  rectilinear  or  divergent;  all  these  movements  may  be 


PROVINCE  AND  DIVISION  OF  SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY.     51 

converted  into  one  another,  so  that  ordinary  Mechanics  will 
treat  of  the  forms  of  movement  and  its  transferences,  always 
keeping  in  mind  that  in  any  molar  state  there  is  always  more 
than  one  force  in  contribution,  and  therefore  the  study  of  the 
results  of  one  force  alone  is  but  an  imaginary  calculation. 
The  results  of  massive  interferences  are  the  two  states  of 
bodies  which  are  considered  by  irreflexive  experience  as  opposed 
to  each  other  :  one  is  equilibrium— Statics  :  the  other  is  visible 
movement— Dynamics.  Molar  Physics  treats  of  each  of  these 
mechanical  states,  studying  them  separately  in  solids  and 
fluids,  liquids  and  gases. 

The  second  department  is  Molecular  Physics.  The  pheno- 
mena whose  movements  are  not  perceived  are  of  two  classes  ; 
those  which  we  call  molecular  are  not  visible  on  account  of 
the  smallness  of  the  particles  in  movement,  estimating  never- 
theless the  consequences  of  a  change  in  their  relative  position 
from  which  a  variation  in  the  relations  of  space  results— that 
is,  either  in  the  dimension  or  in  the  composition  of  bodies. 
We  must  not  confound  these  with  the  movements  we  call 
progenic,  which,  though  they  are  also  beyond  the  reach  of  our 
senses,  as  are  the  molecular,  differ  from  these  because  they 
do  not  directly  produce  any  change  or  variation,  either  of 
extension  or  distance,  in  molecular  relations. 

In  Molecular  Physics  we  comprehend  the  thermic  and 
chemical  theories.  Thermics  or  Thermology  treats  of  heat 
—changes  of  temperature  and  state,  and  in  addition  studies 
the  relations  of  heat  with  molar  movements  in  their  mutual 
interchanges,  that  is,  thermo-molar  transferences.  The  Chemical 
Theory  or  Chemics  is  Abstract  Chemistry,  commonly  called 
by  the  authors  General  Chemistry,  in  which  the  interpretation 
of  the  laws  of  chemical  metamorphoses  must  be  given,  studying 
in  addition  not  only  the  molar,  but  also  and  principally  the 


It 


II 


52 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


thermic    transferences   which   compose   the    treatise   entitled 
Thermo-  Chemistry. 

The  third  department- Progenic  Physics— comprehends  two 
very  different  sections,  one  treating  of  phenomena  and  the 
other  of  potential  changes.  We  have  included  sound  and 
hght  as  progenic  phenomena.  Acoustics  studies  sound  in 
its  transmission  and  production,  and  this  last  is  ordinarily  a 
transference  from  the  molar  movement  called  vibratory. 
Optics,  or  better  to  say  photothermics,  treats  of  light  and  its 
molecular  and  molar  transferences.  The  thermic  and  chemical 
transferences  of  light  are  very  important;  but  its  molar 
transference  needs  yet  more  special  attention,  because  the 
action  of  gravity  results  from  it. 

The  last  section  of  Special  Physiology  we  entitle  Potential 
Physics,   and  it  treats  of  potential  changes  of  progene  and 
of  its   phenomenal  transferences.     In  this  section  the  study 
of  transferences  is  the  most  comprehensive,  because  potential 
changes  (electricity,  latent  heat)  can  be  produced  by  any  of 
the  forms  of  manifested  movement  or  natural  phenomena, 
and  they  can  also  be  transferred  into  such  phenomena.     The 
electric  transferences  are  the  most  important,  and  comprehend 
(i)  electro-molar  transferences,  or  total  movements  of  bodies 
by   electricity    (magnetism);     (2)    electro-molecular   transfer- 
ences  (heat    and  chemical  combinations);    and   (3)   electro- 
progenic   phenomena    (electric    sound    and    electric    light). 
Magnetic  phenomena  are  principally  considered  as  the  most 
peculiar  resultants  of  electric  transference. 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


53 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

MOLAR    PHYSICS,    OR    ORDINARY    MECHANICS. 

( Visible  Movements  and  Equilibrium  of  Bodies^ 

The  most  apparent  phenomena  in  the  world  are  the  visible 
movements  of  bodies.  Visible  movements  are  of  various 
forms,  which  can  be  mutually  transferred  simply  by  propagation 
of  energy.  It  frequently  occurs  that  two  or  more  forces  acting 
on  the  same  body  neutralise  each  other,  equilibrium  thus  re- 
sulting. Molar  physics  treats  both  of  the  transmission  of  total 
movements  in  their  various  forms  of  direction  and  velocity, 
and  of  the  conditions  necessary  among  forces  to  produce 
equilibrium  in  bodies. 

The  forms  of  movement  directly  known  or  experienced  by 
the  senses  are  only  those  of  bodies  when  they  suffer  a  total 
change  of  place  producing  variation  either  in  their  dimensions 
or  in  the  distances  which  separate  them  from  one  another,  and 
such  molar  movements  are  the  data  from  which  our  reason 
infers  the  forms  of  invisible  movements.  Thus,  for  instance,  a 
change  in  molar  or  visible  distances  is  the  notion  by  which 
we  represent  in  imagination  the  changes  of  molecular  distances 
which  are  invisible.  Thus  also  the  propagation  of  movement 
by  pressure  through  a  liquid  to  points  which  are  in  condition 
to  make  known  to  us  the  mechanical  law  of  pressure,  as  in 
Pascal's  apparatus,  is  what  can  best  illustrate  our  explanations 
about  the  conservation  and  propagation  of  invisible  movements 
in  progene. 

Here  it  is  very  necessary  to  keep  in  mind  that  in  the 
fundamental  principle  of  conservation  a  distinction  must  be 
m^de  between  manifested  or  phenomenal  energy  and  that 


S4 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


Which  IS  latent  or  potential,  as  the  former  keeps  the  living 
actual  force,  while  the  latter  preserves  only  movements  which 
are  dead  to  our  sensations,  and  are  therefore  without  actuality 
so  to  speak.     VVe  must  also  keep  in  mind   the  continued 
conversion  of  phenomenal  energy  into  potential  in  every  molar 
movement,   from  which  results  an  inevitable  dissipation  of 
living  force,  estimated  in  the  best  machines  as  almost  one- 
half  (46%)  of  the  work  employed ;  and  as  such  a  dissipation 
of  force  is  owing  to  gravity,  it  has  induced  us  to  believe  that 
ponderable   matter  has   resulted   from   the    condensation    of 
minute  parcels  of  progene    into   atoms,   the  volume    being 
reduced  almost  one-half  (46%).     This  loss  is  compensated 
by  the  actions  of  vitality  alone;  the  organisms  are  the  sole 
machines  where  the  primordial  production  of  living  force  is 
effected.    Any  inorganic  machine  is  only  a  part  of  the  organic 
system  of  the  universe ;  so  that  when  we  make  the  general 
abstraction  of  Cosmic  Mechanism  we  do  not  count  more  than 
secondary  effects,  in  which  the  propagation  of  energy  is  in  the 
consequents  alone,  not  in  the  antecedents. 

We  distinguish  two  forms  of  visible  movements-one  when 
the  body  IS  transposed  or  translated,  and  the  other  when  the 
body  after  being  removed  returns  to  the  same  position.     The 
first   IS   translatory,  as  the  movements  of  the  earth  and  the 
falling  of  bodies  by  gravity ;  and  the  second  is  return  movement 
as  the  vibrations  of  chords  and  of  all  sonorous  instruments. 
We  may  generalise  this  fact,  and  make  the  same  distinction  in 
mvisible  movements,  distinguishing  them  as  translatory  and 
return  also.     This  will  serve  us  for  a  basis  in  the  classification 
of  movements,  as  can  be  seen  in  the  following  table  :- 

inrcMTd'to       |   Translatory  |  R««'lineal  \    Any  of  these  movements 
their  duration    |  •"■  }  fk''ti^^*"'    \  '"  ''f*™""  '»  ""e'r 


their  duration  1  °'  >  /t^'-n''*'"'    \  '"  «'««■»«  to  their 

be  either    I       R«"™       |  <>c,llatory   t  velocity  may  be  eitl 
'^  I.    Vibratory    ;   uniform  or  variable. 


may 


either 


MOLAR  PHYSICS. 


S5 


The  theory  of  Molar  Mechanics  comprehends,  first,  General 
Kinematics  or  Rational  Mechanics,  and,  second,  the  Special 
Mechanism  of  bodies  in  their  different  states  of  solidity  and 
fluidity.     It   is   only   necessary   for  us  to  mention   the   most 
general  principles  of  Mechanics — that  is,  the  rational  axioms 
of  forces.      We  must  remember  that  the  idea  of  movement, 
whether  visible   or  invisible,   is   the   supreme   notion    of   all 
extrinsic  or  physiological  experience,  comprehending  not  only 
the  phenomenal,  but  even  what  is  potential  in  nature.     We 
must    also   remember    that    force    denotes   the   intensity    of 
movement,  whose  measure  is  determined  by  the  factors  mass 
and    velocity ;    mass    representing    the    relative    quantity   of 
matter  which  is  contained  in  a  body,  and  velocity  the  degree 
of  movement.      If  we  now  circumscribe  ourselves  to  visible 
movements  and  to  the  state  of  equilibrium  in  Molar  Mechanics, 
force   will   represent   the   intensity   either   in   causing    or    in 
resisting  movement;  and   when  matter  is   conceived  in  that 
state  of  relative  repose  which  seems  contrary  to  movement, 
force  is  then  measured  by  the  resistance  which  is  apparently 
passive — that  is,  by  mass  alone.     When  movements  are  visible, 
force  represents  the  product  of  half  the  mass  by  the  square  of 
the  velocity.      This   evidently   results   when  we  analyse   the 
factors  of  force  in  ponderable  matter ;  but  in  imponderable 
matter,  when  the  progene  is  alone  in  the  immense  ocean  of 
meta-fluid,    although    the    force   of  a    movement    must   also 
depend  on  the  two  factors  mass  and  velocity,  these  data  can 
only  be  indirectly  determined  by  their  effects  on  ponderable 
matter. 

The  theory  of  force  comprehends — first,  the  results  of  one 
force  alone,  and  second,  the  resultant  of  the  composition  of 
forces.  In  the  latter  case  a  distinction  is  made  according  as 
they  are  parallel  or  concurrent.     The  enunciation  of  the  first 


56 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


principle  of  the  independence  of  forces  makes  reference  to 
those  cases  in  which  they  are  concurrent. 

Uniformly  varied  movement  is  the  most  important  in  Me- 
chanics, as  absolutely  uniform  movement   is  Laginary  f„d 

a  body  describes  m  its  translatory  movement  may  be  either 

Oct.  mear  or  parabolic:  rectilinear  when  all  the  forces  act  ,n 

the  same  direction  in  the  moving  body,  they  having  thus  onlj 

one  rect.hneal  resultant ;  and  parabolic  when  the  forces  act  in 

'omThl     '"""'' '°  ''""^  ""^  "'^"  °"^  ^^^""''"«=^'  --'t^'nt, 

duc^d  s""''°K-"°"  °'  "'"'  P-^bolic  movements  are  pro- 
duced^ Smce  this  rule  was  settled,  all  mechanical  problems 
have  been  resolved  by  means  of  abstract  calculations.     Never- 

whtTM™"'  """  '"  "'  ™'"P'*^^"°"^  offers  some  difficulties, 
which  Newton  proposed  to  remedy  by  means  of  the  following 
laws  o  movement,  which,  rightly  interpreted,  are  not  ultimate 
pnncples,  bemg  only  statements  derived  from  the  conservation 
of  energy. 

The  text  of  the  first  law  of  Newton  is  simply  the  law  of 
mertia  only  expressed  by  different  words.  Inertia  of  matter 
IS  a  fact  common  throughout  all  nature,  and  from  it  the 
pnnciple  of  conservation  is  inferred. 

Newton's  second  law  says  "  the  sum  of  movement  is  pro- 
portional to  the  moving  force,  and  follows  the  direction  of  its 
impulse  ';  but  the  principle  of  conservation  once  understood, 
this  second  law,  as  well  as  the  first,  is  nothing  more  than  a 
,  tautological  explanation,  and  not  a  real  proposition 

Newton's  third  law  expresses  equality  in  the  action  and 
reaction  of  movement.  This  statement  is  very  ambiguous,  as 
It  does  not  express  the  nature  of  the  reaction :  it  connotes, 
besides,  the  idea  of  the  influence  of  attractive  forces,  and,  as  we 
have  set  aside  the  existence  of  any  abstract  force,  such  a  law  is 


MOLAR  PHYSICS. 


57 


only  a  repetition  of  the  second  one,  which  already  means 
equality  in  the  succession  of  movement,  and  therefore  it  must 
not  be  considered  as  a  true  proposition. 

Newton's  fourth  law  is  that  of  compound  forces,  which  is  a 
mathematical  rule  to  find,  by  means  of  the  parallelogram,  the 
resultant  of  two  forces  when  they  are  concurrent.  Such  a 
rule  is  not  an  ultimate  inference,  but  a  calculation  clearly 
derived  from  the  principle  of  conservation  of  energy  applied 
to  component  forces. 

Thus,  then,  the  law  of  inertia,  that  of  the  proportion  between 
cause  and  effect  or  action  and  reaction,  and  that  of  the  paral- 
lelogram of  forces,  are  only  different  manners  of  expressing  the 
same  principle  of  conservation ;  but  at  the  same  time  this  is  no 
more  than  the  ultimate  generalisation  inferred  from  the  fact  of 
inertia  of  matter,  and  therefore  it  is  not  a  principle  of  causal 
determination,  nor  an  assertion  of  self-evident  truth— its  evi- 
dence results  from  the  establishment  of  objective  relations, 
including  in  the  world  not  only  phenomenal  but  also  potential 
changes. 

Mechanics,  then,  is  based  on  the  affirmation  of  the  con- 
tinuity of  movement  in  space,  the  assertions  of  most  authors 
of  the  continuity  of  velocity  (relation  of  space  and  time)  being 
erroneous. 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


THEORY  OF  HEAT, 


S9 


¥\\ 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MOLECULAR    PHYSICS  :     HEAT   AND   CHEMICAL   CHANGES. 

Molecular   Physics  studies   the  changes   in  the  disposition 
of  invisible  particles  of  bodies.     These  changes  are  :— 


"^of^mel?^  rChanges  of  temperature 

molecular    ]  Changes  of  penetrability 
QLstances :     I  or 

heat.         I        physical  states 


r  Increase. 
\  Diminution. 

{Solids. 
Fluids  /L»q"i<ls. 
t  Gases. 


2nd.  Changes  rindefinite  proportions      .      .      .      Mixtures 
of  composition-^  Definite  proportions  (changes  of 
of  bodies.      \     molecular  extension)    .      .      .      Chemical  changes. 

Like  all  cosmic  changes,  thermic  as  well  as  chemical  activity- 
are  effects  subordinated  to  the  principle  of  conservation  of 
energy. 

Theory  ofI£eat—T\\Q  present  hypothesis  of  heat  is  a  contra- 
diction to  the  fundamental  principle  of  dynamism,  and  therefore 
we  must  qualify  it  as  contra-mechanic,  instead  of  calling  it 
mechanic,  as  all  authors  do. 

Heat  is  not  a  vibratory  movement  of  the  minute  corpuscles 
or  molecules  of  ponderable  matter ;  and  we  extend  this  denial 
to  the  propagation  of  heat.  Heat  is  propagated  in  two  ways  : 
by  contraction,  and  by  irradiation.  According  to  current  ideas, 
conduction  is  explained  by  molecular  collision ;  but,  as  we 
have  denied  permanent  vibration  in  molecules,  we' cannot 
explain  by  it  a  constant  change,  as  occurs  with  heat,  especially 
when  its  conduction  is  manifest.  Interaction,  or,  strictly 
speaking,  intermotion  of  progene,  is  necessary  for  any  thermic 
change,  recognising  the  permanent  oscillation  of  progene  in 


the  case  of  conservation  of  heat,  and  some  progressive  oscilla- 
tion when  there  is  thermic  propagation.  This  last  kind  of 
motion  is,  at  the  same  time,  return  and  translatory— that  is, 
an  intermediate  state  between  conservation  of  heat  (oscillation 
of  progene)  and  radiation  of  heat  (translation  of  progene).  We 
shall  see  that  radiating  heat  is  nothing  but  a  factor  of  the  diffuse 
course  of  progene,  which  may  be  luminous  or  otherwise—light 
depending  on  the  rapidity  of  progenic  emissions,  and  radiating 
heat  depending  on  their  amplitude :  for  this  reason  the  con- 
version of  the  thermic  factor  of  radiating  energy  into  oscillation 
of  progene,  or  true  interstitial  heat,  most  commonly  occurs 
when  there  is  interference  between  rays  of  light  and  ponderable 
matter. 

Thermic  changes  are  partial  movements  of  bodies  in  which 
there  is  a  variation  in  the  disposition  of  constituent  particles 
without  chemical  metamorphosis  or  change  of  composition 
being  produced ;  that  is  to  say,  thermic  changes  are  variations 
in  molecular  distances. 

All  authors  falsely  suppose  at  present  that  minute  corpuscles 
— atoms  and  molecules — are  constantly  in  vibratory  movement, 
and  that  on  the  intensity  of  this  depends  the  degree  of  heat. 
Thermic  movement  must  not  be  thus  interpreted. 

Bodies  are  constituted  of  progene  and  corpuscles;  the  progene 
is  always  in  oscillation,  but  the  corpuscles  move  and  are 
translated  by  progene  only  when  a  change  of  temperature  or 
state  occurs  in  bodies.  When  a  body  suffers  change  of  state 
it  loses  or  gains  some  quantity  of  heat  without  experiencing 
any  variation  in  the  temperature;  the  measure  of  such  heat 
represents  the  propagation  of  force  from  the  oscillatory  move- 
ment of  interstitial  progene  to  the  particles  in  order  to  enable 
them  to  change  their  relative  position,  and  from  this  we  infer 
that  during  a  change  of  state  there  is  an  increase  or  diminution 


ill 


60 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


in  the  energy  of  interstitial  progene,  but  without  any  variation 
in  the  amph'tude  of  oscillatory  movement. 

We  have  called  heat  many  different  changes,  which  we  may 

classify  in  the  following  manner  : 

ist.  Changes  of  temperature,  which  are  manifested  by  the 
dilatation  or  the  reduction  of  volume— that  is,  by  variations  in 
the  extension  of  bodies. 

2nd.  Changes  of  physical  state  by  heat,  in  which  we  make 
reference  to  many  concrete  facts,  called  liquefaction,  evapora- 
tion, distillation,  ebullition,  congelation,  solidification,  etc. 

3rd.  Thermo-chemical  changes— that  is,  the  variations  of 
temperature  manifested  in  chemical  metamorphoses. 

4th.  The  changes  of  propagating  temperature,  which  may 
be  either  conduction  or  radiation  of  heat. 

All  these  calorific,  or  we  may  say  thermic  changes,  though 
numerous  in  the  manifestation  of  their  effects,  must  be  com- 
prehended in  a  unity  of  proximate  cause;  this  is  the  oscillatory 
movement  of  progene.  But  we  must  except  radiating  heat, 
as  m  this  the  propagation  is  made  by  translatory  movement. 

To  raise  equal  weights  of  different  substances  to  the  same 
temperature,  different  quantities  of  heat  are  necessary :  such  a 
relation  is  called  specific  heat ;  and  in  order  to  determine  it 
numerically,  the  heat  necessary  to  raise  the  temperature  of  a 
kilogram  of  water  from  zero  to  one  degree  centigrade  is  taken 
as  a  unity,  called  a  calorie.     Specific  heat  is  in  inverse  ratio 
to  atomic  weight-that  is,  to  the  gravitating  force  of  atoms- 
because  the  greater  the  resistance  of  the  atoms  to  separation 
by  oscillating  progene,  the  smaller   is  the  quantity  of  heat 
necessary  to  manifest  an  increase  of  temperature,  while,  on  the 
contrary,  the  lighter  the  atoms  the  more  heat  will  be  expended 
m  their  progressive  movements,  from  which  the  dilatation  of 
bodies  results. 


THEORY  OF  HEAT. 


61 


The  amplitude  of  progenic  oscillations  cannot  increase  or 
diminish  without  separation  or  approximation  of  the  molecules, 
producing  in  the  first  case  dilatation,  and  in  the  second  thermic 
reduction ;  and  these  changes  of  intermolecular  distances  must 
have  for  a  limit  the  moment  when  a  change  of  state  in  bodies 
is  determined. 

The  calorific  capacity,  or  better  to  say  calorific  necessity, 
and  the  calorific  tension  of  bodies  are  directly  proportional,  be- 
cause the  said  tension  representing  the  quantity  of  dilatation  is 
a  true  molecular  work  manifested  by  the  dilatation  of  the  body; 
and  calorific  capacity  representing  the  quantity  of  heat  neces- 
sary to  dilate  bodies  must  be,  like  heat  necessity,  directly  pro- 
portional to  the  bodies  of  molecular  reclusion,  which  depend 
on  the  action  of  gravity.  The  unity  of  concept  of  molecular 
reclusion  is  badly  represented  by  physicists  with  the  word 
attraction,  which  must  be  substituted  by  gravitation.  The 
greatest  condition  of  molecular  reclusion  depends  on  the 
physical  state  of  bodies ;  next  to  this  condition  is  the  relation 
of  atomic  weights  and  densities ;  and  the  degree  of  cohesion 
is  also  worthy  of  notice. 

There  are  two  different  changes  in  the  increasing  and  de- 
creasing of  heat ;  the  change  may  be  simply  in  the  temperature 
without  any  dilatation  in  the  body  (pure  progenic  change),  and 
there  may  also  be  a  change  of  temperature  with  dilatation 
(double  change,  progenic  and  molecular).  In  the  first  case 
there  is  only  a  variation  of  the  movement  of  progene,  and  in 
the  second  there  is  besides  some  translation  of  the  ponderable 
particles.  A  calorie  being  the  unity  of  measure  in  changes  of 
heat,  we  must  distinguish  the  calories  of  temperature  from 
those  of  dilatation,  the  one  being  in  inverse  ratio  to  the 
other.  Our  explanation  of  this  point  is  that  the  calories  of 
dilatation  must   be  directly  proportional   to  the  quantity  or 


! 


* 


*»  SPECIAL  PHYSrOLOGY. 

resistance  of  corpuscular  matter,  while  the  calories  of  tempera- 
ture are  in  inverse  proportion  to  the  expansive  freedom  of 
progene,  which  is  contrary  to  the  degree  of  molecular  reclu- 
sion.     The  greater  the  continuous  particles  of  a  substance  the 
greater  thermic  energy  is  necessary  to  separate  them.     For  this 
reason  hydrocules  or  liquid  particles  need  more  calories  of 
dilatation  to  separate  them  than  gaseous  particles  do,  and  still 
more  are    necessary  for  solids   than   for  liquids.      Calorific 
necessity  or  capacity  of  a  body  in  a  gaseous  state  is  half  that 
of  the  same  body  in  a  liquid  state ;  and  from  this  we  derive  the 
logical  supposition  that  hydrocules  are  formed  by  the  union 
of  two  molecules. 

We  constantly  observe  in  the  world  transferences  of  molar 
movement  into  heat,  and  the  reverse.      We   know  that  the 
mechanical  equivalent  of  a  calorie  is  425  kilogrameters ;  but 
this  cipher  of  equivalence  is  not  found  in  practice,  because 
the  best  inorganic  machine  cannot  produce  with  one  calorie 
425  kilogrameters  of  living  force,  nor  can  we  produce  with 
425  kilogrameters  one  calorie-only  54%  of  a  calorie ;  there- 
fore the   phrase  "  mechanical  equivalent  of  heat »  does  not 
take  into  account  the  dissipation  of  manifested  energy,  which 
IS  compensated   in  the  universal  system  by  organic  genera- 
tion.    In  spite  of  this,  physicists  pretend  that  all  the  quantity 
of  heat  which  disappears  in  a  machine  is  transformed  into 
work  If,  as  they  say,  the  temperature  is  measured  starting  from 
the  imaginary  absolute  zero.      But  the  imaginary  absolute  zero 
cannot    be   more   than   nothing,    and   nothing  cannot   be   a 
standard  for  anything. 

Chemical  Theory.-V^^  shall  see  in  Biology  (Part  Third)  that 
organisms  acquire  their  living  or  manifested  force  by  molecular 
collocation  or  chemical  arrangement,  as  vitality  in  the  acts  of 
organic   generation  primarily  cause  progenic  currents  whose 


CHEMICAL  THEORY. 


63 


primordial  manifestations  are  the  chemical  changes  in  the  for- 
mation of  organic  structures.  Accordingly,  chemical  reactions 
are  the  primordial  manifestations  of  the  change  effected 
in  progene  by  the  Original  Potence  of  Nature.  But  in  any 
chemical  metamorphosis  there  is  a  variation  in  the  molecular 
extension,  a  correlative  change  in  intermolecular  distances 
being  then  inevitable  \  therefore  all  chemical  reaction  must  be 
accompanied  by  some  change  of  temperature,  and  from  this 
results  the  constant  association  of  the  two  different  kinds  of 
molecular  phenomena  in  the  metamorphosis  of  matter;  in 
this  lies  the  reason  of  Thermo-Chemistry.  Furthermore,  in 
a  chemical  metamorphosis  the  same  thermic  change  always 
takes  place,  and  the  quantity  of  heat  expended  or  absorbed 
is  different  in  every  combination.  The  affirmation  of  this 
fact  is  the  fundamental  law  of  Thermo-Chemistry. 

Any  molecular  change  is  a  mechanical  work  resulting  from 
the  interference  of  progenic  actions  with  atomic  matter, 
progenic  energy  being  decomposed  into  centripetal  energy 
or  gravity  and  centrifugal  energy  or  the  force  of  heat,  which 
we  shall  call  thermity.  These  antagonistic  resultants  are  the 
enigmatic  forces  called  by  physicists  attraction  and  repulsion. 
The  final  effect  of  a  chemical  metamorphosis  is  a  real  change 
in  molecular  extension,  to  produce  which  molecular  trans- 
lations by  means  of  currents  of  progene  are  necessary,  and 
the  direction  and  intensity  of  such  currents  result  from  the 
antagonistic  action  between  these  two  forces  which  we  have 
called  gravity  and  thermity. 

The  so-called  laws  of  Chemistry  are  empirical  assertions  of 
generalised  facts.  If  such  laws  are  true,  they  must  be  sub- 
ordinated to  the  principle  of  conservation  instead  of  being 
explained  by  such  enigmatic  suppositions  as  the  existence  of 
atoms  of  different  nature  and  their  endowment  with  different 


il 


«l 


*♦  SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 

2«r  "1^".'"^"^^'^'^  ^'-'-^  f--  called  by  che„,ists 
affimty.  To  give  a  true  interpreUtion  to  chemical  laws  we 
must  recognise  substantial  unity  or  equality  in  the  nature  of 
atoms  setting  aside  all  abstract  or  causing  forces 

Experience  has  principally  determined  the  relations  of  weights 
m  which  bodies  form  their  compounds,  the  relation  of  gases 
.n  the.r  combinations,  and  the  relation  of  heat  in  these  com- 
bmafons,  by  means  of  eight   laws  known   by  the   following 
denommafons  :    ,st,  Conservation  of  weights  ;   2nd,  Definite 
proportions ;     3rd,   Multiple    proportions;     4th,    Volumetric 
proportions ;  5th,  Proportion  of  specific  heat ;  6th,  Equivalence 
of   heat    m    chemical    changes;    7th,  Molecular  work;  and 
8th    Maximum   work.     The  three  first-mentioned   laws  mark 
ponderable  relations,   the  fourth   volumetric,  and   the  other 
four  thermic  or  calorific  relations. 

The  atomic  determinations  of  Chemics  in  the  weight  as 
much  as  in  the  volume  of  atoms  are  completely  erroneous 
because  the  laws  in  reference  express  only  dynamic  reCs' 
among  the  components  of  a  chemical  combination,  and  not 
fixed  properties  of  atoms. 

The  force  of  affinity-so  calling  the  resultant  of  the  actions 
which  produce  a  chemical  change-is  not  a  primordial  or 
engendered  energy,  nor  is  it  an  abstract  causing  force ;  it  is 
onlythe  measure  of  the  concrete  movements  of  the  constituents 
of  bodies ;  these  movements  are  produced  by  the  proximate 
mfluence  of  more  or  less  condensed  currents  of  progene, 
which   must  follow  the  direction  of  the  resultant  of  the  two 

orTeZty.'"""""'  "'""''  "  ^^''''' ''"'  "^^  '"'""^ 

Of  these  progenic  powers  we  need  only  practically  consider 

thermity.  omitting  gravity  in  chemical  calculations,  because  it 

.s  an  invariable  datum  if  the  experiments  are  always  performed 


CHEMICAL  THEORY. 


65 


in  the  same  place,  or  if  the  laboratories  are  under  the  same 
action  of  gravity.  Chemical  changes  are  therefore  correlative 
with  thermic  variations ;  and  from  this  it  results  that  heat  is 
the  best  standard  for  fixing  atomic  differences,  and  is  the  best 
measure  of  the  metamorphoses  of  chemical  affinity  so  called. 
Finally,  in  this  is  based  the  substitution  of  the  secular  or 
atomic  Chemistry  by  the  new  Thermo-Chemistry. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

PROGENIC   PHYSICS   IN   GENERAL. 

(Determination  of  progenic  movements.) 

If  the  changes  of  ponderable  matter  are  derived  from  those 
of  imponderable,  a  classification  of  all  forms  of  physical  activity 
must  be  inferred  from  the  different  forms  of  progenic  move- 
ments, though    these   are   only  known   by   imagination.     We 
admit  and  recognise  two  fundamental  states  in  progene,  one 
phenomenal  and  the  other  potential ;  the  first  is  manifested 
to  us  by  the  direct  action  of  progene  on  our  mediate  senses, 
sight  and  hearing,  and  the  second  is  only  known  by  means 
of  its  transferences   into  determined   changes   of  ponderable 
matter,   or   into  progenic  phenomena,  as    light    and   sound. 
Progenic  phenomena  result  from  the  propagation  of  movement 
across  progene  alone ;  and  the  effects  of  the  transference  of 
potential  movements  into  manifested  changes,  both  of  ponder- 
able and  imponderable  matter,  become  the  proximate   cause 
of  all  phenomena  in  nature.     When  the  movements  of  progene 
are  transferred  into  a  limited  portion  of  ponderable  matter,  the 
result  may  be  either  a  total  movement  of  bodies  (change  of 
place),  or  only  a  partial  movement  of  the  constituent  particles ; 


iM< 


>*■;- 


66 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


FM 


m  the  latter  case  the  change  of  molecular  disposition  may  be 
in  mtermolecular  distances  (heat),  or  in  molecular  extension 
(chemical   change)-the  second   comprehending   the  first,  as 
we  have  just  now  seen  in  the  theory  of  Chemistry.     If  ponder- 
able matter  is  infiltrated  with  progene   in   all   its   interstitial 
spaces,   when   a   body   moves   both   constituents,   ponderable 
and    imponderable     matter,    are    necessarily    in     movement 
Accordingly,    molar    and   molecular  movement   cannot   exist 
independent   of   similar   or   correlative  progenic    movements 
-that  ,s  to  say,  a  translatory  movement  of  a  body  supposes 
not  only  the   translation   of  ponderable   matter,   but  that  of 
progene  also,  and  the  visible  vibration  of  a  musical  instrument 
must  be  accompanied  by  progenic  oscillation.     Thus  the  mo- 
lecular movement  of  dilatation  (heat)  implies  the  oscillation  of 
interstitial  progene,  which  increases  in  amplitude  in  proportion 
to  the  molecular  separation.     Thus  also  the  translatory  move- 
ment of  molecules   in   chemical   metamorphoses    needs    the 
translation  of  progene,  and  in  the  same  manner  any  oscillatory 
movement  of  liquids  or  gases,  or  any  vibratory  movement  of 
sohds,  ,s  accompanied  by  the  oscillatory  movement  of  progene 
The  determination  of  the  form  of  invisible  movements  of 
matter  ,s  made  by  the  rational  eye  of  the  mind,  which  com- 
prehends and  discovers  two  kinds  of  movements  in  progene 
(as  among  visible  movements)-one  return  or  oscillatory,  and 
the  other  transposed  or  translatory. 

At  present  most  authors  do  not  generally  admit  the  trans- 
position of  imponderable  ether  (progene):  they  think  it  does 
not  pass  from  the  sun  to  the  earth,  that  it  does  not  pass 
hrough  the  wire  to  produce  the  action  of  dynamic  electricity, 
that  m  the  electric  spark  and  in  the  lightning  there  is  no 
change  of  place;  and  they  say  that  light  and  electricity  are 
propagated  only  by  oscillatory  movement.     Such  a  hypothesis 


PROGENIC  PHYSICS  IN  GENERAL. 


67 


is  defective,  as  it  does  not  well  explain  the  facts,  and  it  is  a 
contradiction  to  the  motions  of  Molar  Mechanics,  from  which 
we  must  acquire  the  possible  knowledge  of  invisible  movements. 
Reason  induces  us  to  admit  as  a  scientific  necessity  that 
which  is  a  necessity  in  the  function  of  the  universe — that  is, 
that  progene  must  move  in  both  ways,  in  progression  or 
translatory  movement,  and  in  oscillatory  movement  or  to  and 
fro.  The  progressive  movement— course  of  the  progene— 
must  exist  in  order  to  determine  the  change  of  position  of 
molecules  so  as  to  produce  chemical  phenomena,  and  thus 
also  to  determine  the  movements  of  great  masses  which  now 
appear  to  us  as  effects  of  attraction  under  the  phenomenal  forms 
of  terrestrial  magnetism  and  universal  gravitation. 

To  comprehend  what  must  be  the  course  of  progene,  we 

must  notice  the  extraordinary  difference  which  exists  between 

the  movements  of  small  bodies  running  a  great  distance  and 

those  of  great  masses  when  they  move  in  an  extension  much 

smaller  than  their  size.     Thus,  for  instance,  a  ball  shot  from 

a  gun  seems  to  reach  gradually  and  totally  to  the  end  of  its 

course,  while  if  a  long  bar  be   impelled  at   one   end  (for  a 

short  distance  only)  there  appears  to  our  observation  to  be  an 

indirect,    instantaneous   and   partial  movement   at   the   other 

end  of  the  bar.     Like  this  last,  great  quantities  of  fluids,  as 

the  waves  of  the  ocean,  the  winds,  and,  above  all,  currents 

of  progene,   are    always    removed    in   a   very   limited   space 

in  comparison  with  the  great  quantity  of  matter  set  in  motion. 

When  a  perfect  fluid  or  meta-fluid  like  progene,  which   we 

suppose   exists  alone   beyond   the  atmosphere  in  interstellar 

space,  receives  an  impulse  from  one  star,  that  impulse  will  be 

instantaneously  transmitted  to  the  others,  no  matter  at  what 

distance,  without  losing  any  of  its  initial  velocity,  because  the 

intermediary  substance  is  imponderable,  and  it  may  be  said 


68 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


PROGENIC  PHYSICS  IN  GENERAL, 


69 


II 


incompressible.  Such  a  movement  is  not  an  oscillation,  but 
an  instantaneous  translation  or  progression,  and  consequently 
the  measures  of  velocity  which  have  been  determined  in 
progenic  movements,  as  in  the  transmission  of  sensual  radiations 
of  light  and  in  the  latent  currents  of  electricity,  represent  the 
effect  of  the  resistance  of  ponderable  matter  to  the  progene  in 
movement. 

AV'hen  progene  is  alone  in  interstellar  space  it  can  only  follow 
a  diffuse  course,  as  there  are  no  isolating  means  which  could 
determine   its    condensation   at   any   point.      In    order    that 
progene  may  be  condensed  or  rarefied  it  must  be  confined  in 
some   body— that    is,    it   must   be   limited   by    molecular   or 
ponderable  walls;  by  itself  alone  progene  cannot  be  the  con- 
tainer and  the  contained,  in  the  same  manner  as  water  cannot 
be   a  receptacle   for  water.      For  a   similar  reason  progene 
cannot  be  set  in  oscillation  when  it  is  alone.     In  the  space 
beyond  molecular  existence  there  can  be  no  other  change  of 
place  than  the  diffuse  irradiations  of  heat  and  light,  which  pro- 
duce thermic  and  photothermic  propagations,  and  which  must 
be  equal  in  their  velocity  to  the  infinitely  short  time  that  a 
progenic  emission  lasts,  because  progene,  we  repeat,  must  in- 
stantaneously transmit  any  impulse  to  all  interstellar  distances. 
We  must  now  explain  a  point  which  at  first  sight  may  seem 
a  little  confused.     If  sound,  light,  radiating  heat  and  electricity 
—or,  to  be  more  explicit,  if  sonorous  propagation,  luminous 
diffusion,    thermic    radiation  and  electric  conduction— are  all 
progenic  movements,  why  are  they  so  different  in  their  manifes- 
tations ?     Because  their  essential  difference  is  only  subjective, 
—it  is  an  effect  of  perception  which  exclusively  depends  upon 
the  organisation  of  our  senses  and  on  the  receptivity  of  our 
mental   power;    the   most   insignificant  quantitative   relations 
produce  different  classes  of  sensations,  and  from   this  arises 


the  iiuntal  distinction  of  qualities.  We  do  not  know  material 
changes  by  irreflexive  experience,  for  we  do  not  perceive  them 
as  they  are  in  themselves,  but  as  they  impress  our  system ; 
the  appreciation  of  phenomena  as  they  are  is  under  the 
exclusive  jurisdiction  of  reason,  and  their  possible  determina- 
tion is  purely  mathematic  or  quantitative,  which,  in  a  final 
analysis,  supposes  only  relation  either  of  space  or  time,  or  else 
a  mixed  relation  of  both  space  and  time. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

PROGENIC   PHENOMENA  :    SOUND   AND    LIGHT. 

Theory  of  Sound, — The  propagation  of  the  oscillatory  move- 
ment of  progene  claims  our  special  attention.     According  to 
the  secular  hypothesis  admitted  by  physicists,  sound  is  con- 
sidered as  an  effect  of  air-waves  or  vibrations  of  the  molecules 
which  constitute  the  ponderable  components  of  the  atmosphere. 
We  must  set  aside  the  grotesque  hypothesis  according  to  which 
sound  is  supposed  to  be  transmitted  by  air-waves,  as  it  cannot 
withstand  the  most  insignificant  commentary ;  and  if  we,  like 
the  generality  of  authors,   should   erroneously  suppose   that 
sonorous  motion  is  a  molecular  vibration— that  is,  a  movement 
of  the  ponderable  particles  of  air,  or  of  any  other  body  that 
transmits  sound— we  should  then  see  that  sound  and  heat, 
as  explained   in   the   so-called   mechanical  theory,  would   be 
the   same   thing,   and   therefore   sound  would   need    for    its 
transmission  as  much  force  in  mechanical  equivalents   as   is 
necessary  for  the  production  and  conduction  of  heat.     But 
without  the  necessity  of  appealing  to  the  exact  calculation  of 
numbers,  it  is  clear  to  our  reason,  at  a  glance,  that  such  a  con- 
clusion is  very  far  removed  from  the  facts  of  observation  ;  and 


M 


\S 


III 


70 


SPEC/A L  PHYSIOLOGY. 


th.s  ,s  still  more  clearly  seen  when  the  transmission  of  sounds 
■s  through  solid  bodies.  There  is  no  proportion  between  the 
molar  force  employed  in  a  sonorous  instrument  and  that  which 
would  be  necessary  to  move  the  molecules  if  ponderable  matter 
were  the  transmitter  of  sound  to  a  great  distance 

Sound  IS  propagated,  not  by  molecular  vibration,  but  hy 
prosen,c  o.Hllation-or,  in  other  words,  it  is  transmitted  by  a 
succession  of  oscillations  of  progene.     This  is,  then,  a  kind  of 
tremulous  movement,  or  a  movement  to  and  fro.     When  a  body 
produces  sound  its  particles  are  in  a  tremulous  or  vibratory 
movement,  which  impels  the  progene,  with  which  they  are  in 
contact,  to  and  fro,  so  that  every  vibration  of  sonorous  bodies 
produces  a  progenic  oscillation  of  the  same  amplitude,  thus 
causing  a  very  minute  current  of  progene  to  ebb  and  flow  • 
and  such  oscillations  must  be  repeated  a  determined  number 
of  times  in  a  second  .in  order  to  be  capable  of  impressing  our 
car   by  producing  sonorous   sensation.     The   limits  of  such 
repetitions,  called  periods,  are  about  eight  in  a  second  as  the 
minimum,  and  forty  thousand  as  the  maximum. 

Such  a  movement  is  impossible  in  progene  existing  alone 
because  in  that  state  any  impulse  is  equally  propagated  in  all 
directions  without  in  the  slightest  degree  breaking  the  uniformity 
of  the  tension :  for  this  reason  sound  cannot  be  propagated 
without  ponderable  matter,  through  a  space  in  which  there 
•s  only  progene,  as  in  the  void  bell  of  a  pneumatic  machine. 

We  must  now  give  a  slight  idea  of  the  character  of 
sound.  All  the  differences  among  sounds  are  quantitative, 
therefore  it  is  very  improper  to  consider  as  the  quality  of 
sound  that  peculiar  character  common  to  all  sounds  produced 
by  the  same  instrument,  and  by  which  we  distinguish  one 
mstrument  from  another.  Besides  this,  when  sound  is 
transmitted  through  a  fluid  like  air  or  water,  only  two  of  its 


THEORY  OF  SOUND. 


71 


characters  can  be  propagated :  one  is  the  intensity  or  amplitude 
of  the  oscillations,  and  the  other  the  rapidity  in  the  succession 
which    characterises    sound    by   its    pitch.      Accordingly  all 
characters  of  sound  must  depend  on  algebraic  relations  and 
not  on  different  geometric  forms,  by  which  authors  pretend 
to  explain  the  difference  which  they  improperly  call  quality. 
Although   different    forms    of   vibration    are    appreciated   in 
sonorous  instruments,  progene,  like  any  fluid,  cannot  oscillate 
except  in  a  straight  line,  and  therefore  this  so-called  quality 
of  sound  depends  not  on  the  form  of  oscillation,  but  on  the 
synthetic  relation  of  height  and  intensity  among  all  the  oscilla- 
tions which  form  and  propagate  a  sound.     For  this  character 
we  will  substitute  the  name  quality  by  the  more  proper  one  of 
STRUER,   a   word  derived   from   the    Latin   struere,   which 
means  to  unite,  to  put  together,  to  pile  up,  to  place  in  order, 
to  construct ;  it  being  at  the  same  time  the  root  of  the  words 
instrument  and  structure.     The  word  Struer  truly  comprehends 
and  represents  what  it  etymologically  signifies,  as  the  character 
we  call  Struer  is  not  only  a  synthetic  result  from  the  union 
of  elemental  oscillations  of  different  degrees  of  rapidity  and 
intensity,    but   these   conditions   depend   on  the  structure  of 
sonorous  instruments. 

There  are  four  of  its  characters— factors  of  movement— of 
sound,  which  for  a  clear  distinction  we  arrange  in  the  following 
table : — 


Analytic  character    fr» -r.  1    v 

of  the  J  *^'^P'^^'^y  "r  celerity 

strongest  oscillations  [Amplitude  and  rapidity 

Synthetic^character  j  pj^^^  ^^^  j^^^^^j^^        ^ 
all  osculations        (Time  of  the  sensation   . 


Pitch. 
Inten.sity. 

Stru  r. 
Duratitm. 


What  has  here  been  said  confirms  the  statement  that  sound 
does  not  belong  to  Molar  Mechanics;  in  future  it  must  be 


*V; 


I 


III 


7* 


SPEC/AL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


included  in  the  department  we  call  ProRenic  Phv^ir.    u,k 
we  .^clude  l.,ht.  electncity.  and.  withThr  itf  tl;  oZ 
potential  changes  of  progene. 

Thf  Zf  ^'^''~''''''"  "'^  '^  ""'^^  ^°"'"^'^''^  o'  coloured 
when    h     ""  '""'  °'  P'°«^"^  P'°^--  -■°->ess  light 
Tav    fl  '"'■''''""  '^  "^'^'  °'  -"P'«ely  uniform,  fhe 
^s    ollowng  a  recflinear  direction   from  the  incande  cent 
body  to  our  eyes;  such  a  rectilinear  direction  can  be  broken 
by  some  refracting  body,  but  the  incident  and  emergent  tvs 
always  continue  parallel.     The  sensation  called  white  cluri 
produced  when  rays  of  light  are  reflected  by  a  Ly  in  a„ 
incomplete  or  defective  manner-that  is,  when  part  of  the  Lht 
.3  refracted  or  absorbed,  yet  follows  a  parallel  course  untHi 
reaches  the  eye.     From  this  arises  the  analogy  betw  en  "hi  e 

P  o  Jn  °  ■  "f '  '""^  '"'■"«  ■•"<^'-™A  called  Jh? 

Progene,  losmg  this  parallelism,  follows  an  oblique  course  td 
propagates  the  emissions  which  compose  a  number  of  .;  "of 
■ght  wuh  d,fferent  amplitudes  and  rapidity;  and  from  this 
complexity  .s  produced  one,  many,  or  all  the  colours  of  the 

s  r^.: "  --''-''  '"-■- — •-  'Hat'of": 

The  results  from  experiments  with  coloured  light  have  been 
erroneously  considered  by  authors  as  facts  belonging  to  Z 
«ost  simple  light.     It  is  evident  that  without  lighf  we  inno 

cTT  'IT'   '"'  '"^  '■"^^"'^  P-P<'-'-  i'    ot  tr^  a 
CO  ouriess  hght.  like  the  sunshine,  is  seen  directly  by  the  Ve 

s?n^hr:h'°  T  "  ^'"'^  '°  "'"^'-'  '-s;'co'lou    Ta 

orStd  ;;ogtireSrr°~  ^-"'- 

-havesom^I^J—r^i^rri; 


THEORY  OF  LIGHT. 


73 


its  perception  it  is  also  pretty  similar  to  sound,  because  the 
organ  of  sight  is  a  mediate  sense,  like  the  organ  of  hearing. 
Nevertheless,  light  and  sound  differ  in  the  form  and  velocity 
of  their  movement.     The  velocity  of  light  across  the  atmo- 
sphere is  so  great,  that  it  is  almost  incomparable  with  that  of 
sound ;  but  the  difference  between  them  is  yet  more  remark- 
able when  we  compare  the  two  progenic  phenomena  by  their 
modes  of  propagation.     Sound  can  be  heard  even  if  we  have 
no  more  than  one  ear  and  this  is  in  a  direction  contrary  to  the 
position  of  the  sonorous  body,  and  it  can  also  be  heard  even 
if  a  great  obstacle  be  interposed  between  that  sonorous  body 
and  the  ear ;  while  light  does  not  retrocede  in  its  progressive 
transmission  (if  there  be  no  reflection), — it  always  continues 
forward  in  a  rectilinear  direction  between  the  luminous  object 
and  the  eye,  and  we  cannot  see  the  luminous  point  when  an 
obstacle  is  interposed  between  it  and  our  sense  of  sight.     This 
fact  is  sufficient  to  condemn  the  hypothesis  of  luminous  undu- 
lations or  oscillations ;  but  we  must  be  careful  not  to  confound 
the  theory  here  given  with  that  of  Newton,  called  "  hypothesis 
of  emissions,"  because  we  do  not  admit  the  transmission  of 
light  by  particles :  we  repeat  that  emissions  of  light  are  minute 
impulses  of  progene  following  a  very  rapid  course. 

Those  who  explain  light  by  the  transversal  waving  of  ether 
compare  this  motion  to  ripples  in  water,  or  to  the  waving 
movement  of  a  long  cord,  or  else  to  the  vibrations  of  metallic 
plates ;  but  in  any  of  these  cases  we  clearly  see  the  cause  of 
the  undulating  movement,  because  it  is  accomplished  in  the 
direction  of  the  least  resistance,  which  is  contrary  to  what 
must  occur  with  progene,  where,  on  account  of  its  homo- 
geneity, the  resistance  must  be  equal  in  all  parts,  and  therefore 
cannot  form  transversal  waves. 

Huyghens'  geometric  refutation  of  the  fact  that  the  pro- 


74 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


pagation  of  light  does  not  extend  in  all  directions,  though 
showing  great  mathematical  ability,  is  not  sufficient  to  save 
his  hypothesis  from  condemnation  ;  for  if  the  resolution  of 
such  a  theorem  were  a  truth,  it  should  also  be  applicable  to 
the  theory  of  sound,  and  this  would  be  evidently  contra- 
dictory to  facts.  Moreover,  it  leaves  the  principal  question 
without  resolution,  which  is,  why  the  eye,  even  if  placed  within 
the  cone  of  luminous  propagation,  when  the  pupil  is  not  in 
the  direction  of  the  light,  does  not  receive  its  rays,  and  of 
course  cannot  see  the  objective  point  of  their  emission. 

The  hypothesis  of  undulations  sustains  another  error  when 
it  asserts  that  white  light  is  of  complex  constitution,  being 
formed  of  all  the  colours  of  the  spectrum.     The  dispersion 
of  white  light   into   different   colours  by  the  prism  is  not  a 
division  or  separation  of  the  component  elements,  as  authors 
state.     We  cannot  explain  such  a  phenomenon  by  differences 
among  the  supposed  pre-existing  colours  in  the  white  rays, 
as  this  would  imply  different  velocities  in  such  coloured  rays, 
across  a  refracting    means,  which  is  disproved  by  facts  from 
the  direct  observation  of  light,   and   from    the   comparative 
observation  of  sonorous  transmission.     Effectually  the  velocity 
of  propagation  of  light  and  sound  across  a  means  depends 
on  the  conditions  of  such  a  means   alone,  and  not  on  the 
character  of  the  movements   propagated.     Besides,  the  laws 
of  refraction  themselves  are  contradictory  to  Newton's  explana- 
tion of  the  spectrum,  because  it  is  incomprehensible  that  rays 
of  the  same  colour,  incident  in  different  points  of  the  prism, 
concur  at  the  same  place  through  the  effect  of  their  refraction, 
after  light  suffers  such  a  supposed  decomposition.     In  oppo- 
sition to  Newton's  assertion,  we  must  settle  as  a  fact  that  the 
prism   converts   white   or   colourless   light   into   coloured   by 
changing  the  rapidity  and  amplitude  of  die  different  rays  of 


THEORY  OF  LIGHT, 


75 


a  progenic  emission  through  the  refracting  medium,  the  length 
of  the  emissions  varying  according  as  the  rays  are  more  or 
less  separated  from  their  parallel  direction.  We  perceive  white 
light  when  the  rays  of  one  emission  are  all  equal  in  the 
amplitude  and  celerity  of  the  succession  of  progenic  impulses ; 
while,  on  the  contrary,  coloured  light  results  when  the  rays 
simultaneously  perceived  from  the  same  point  differ  in  the 
amplitude  and  celerity  of  the  succession  of  progenic  emissions. 
It  may  also  occur  that  though  coloured  rays  are  mixed  with 
white  in  one  emission,  we  perceive  only  the  latter,  because 
their  intensity  conceals  the  impression  of  the  coloured  rays; 
as  in  a  simple  tone  we  perceive  only  the  prime-partial,  because 
the  upper-partials  are  feeble.  White  light,  then,  corresponds 
to  the  simple  tone  of  the  tuning-fork,  while  coloured  lights 
correspond  to  the  complex  musical  tones  which  are  formed 
by  the  aggregation  of  partials  differing  in  amplitude  and 
celerity.  In  this  parallel  of  sound  and  light  we  see  that 
the  colour  of  light  is  in  correlation  with  the  struer  of  sounds, 
so  coloured  rays  of  light  are  distinguished  by  the  different 
length  (amplitude  and  celerity)  of  their  emissions,  decreasing 
from  red  to  violet,  but  being  greatest  in  the  invisible  infra-red, 
which  are  the  strongest  in  their  thermic  potence. 

The  study  of  light  offers  some  considerations  which  make 
the  concept  of  progene  clearer  and  more  precise.  According 
to  the  progenic  theory  elasticity  rightly  has  no  play  in  lumi- 
nous propagation ;  moreover,  in  opposition  to  what  has  been 
generally  said  in  regard  to  imponderable  ether,  progene  being 
a  uniform  means,  cannot  be  elastic,  in  the  same  manner  as 
its  density  cannot  pass  from  zero.  Progene  is  certainly  inert, 
like  ponderable  matter  in  mechanism ;  but  we  must  not  con- 
found inertia  with  gravity,  as  do  the  mechanicians,  although 
gravity  is  the  force   by  which  they  measure   what  they  call 


76 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


molar  inertia.  Progene,  therefore,  presupposes  a  principle 
of  movement  exterior  to  itself;  activity  or  energy  cannot  be 
inherent  to  progene,  in  the  same  manner  as  it  cannot  be 
inherent  to  atoms.  Molecular  changes  also  have  given  us 
evident  proofs  for  the  confirmation  of  the  inertia  of  progene, 
which  plays  such  an  important  part  in  those  phenomena- 
and  these  do  not  leave  any  doubt  of  their  comprehension 
within  the  law  of  the  principle  of  the  conservation  of  energy 
and  the  relative  value  of  progenic  transferences. 

Luminous  movements  or  progenic  emissions  perceptible  to 
the  eye   are   partially   or   totally  extinguished  when   progene 
collides  with  a  body,  because  the  emission  may  be  transferred 
into  heat ;  in  this  case  the  propagation  changes  the  form  of 
movement,  and   instead   of  progressive   translation   we   have 
an  oscillating  whirlpool.     The  quantity  of  light  that  disappears 
is   proportional  to  the   quantity  of  heat  produced;   and   for 
this  reason  black  bodies,  and  in  general  those  whose  reflective 
power   is   very   feeble,   are   very   easily  heated.     Besides  the 
transference  of  light  into   heat.  Nature  offers  us  the  oppor- 
tunity of  observing  its  transference  into  affinity,  or  better  to 
say,  chemical  change,  and  reason  has  discovered  the  important 
fact  of  the  conversion  of  progenic  irradiation  into  the  different 
actions   which   are   classed   under   the   name   of  gravitation, 
especially    the    transference    of    interstellar    movement    into' 
terrestrial  gravity. 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


77 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

PROGENIC    POTENXE:    potential -='    PHYSICS. 

(Electricity  and  Potential  Heat.) 

The  departments  of  Special  Physiology  could  be  classified 
into  two  groups— one  Phenomenology,  and  the  other  Potential 
Physics  ;  studying  in  the  former  the  phenomenal  changes  which 
are  manifest  in  their  antecedents  and  consequents,  and  in  the 
latter  the  potential  changes,  whether  latent  in  both  terms  of 
the  change,  like  pure  electricity,  or  in  only  one  term,  the  other 
term  being  manifest,  like  electric  transference.  Thus,  then,  the 
study  of  electric  changes  has  two  parts  :  one  which  occupies 
itself  with  pure  or  potential  electricity— that  is,  the  study  of 
the  propagation  of  the  potential  changes  of  progene  without 
transference ;  and  the  other  which  studies  electric  transferences 
—that   is,    all    kinds   of  manifestations  springing  from  such 

potentiality. 

The  varieties  of  phenomena  ordinarily  called  electrics  are 
not  the  same  as  electricity ;  they  are  its  modes  of  manifest 
transference  into  one  of  the  phenomena  already  known  as 
molar  movements,  thermic  and  chemical  phenomena,  and 
sound  and  light.  Electricity  properly  so  called  is  only  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  reason ;  it  is  not  a  change  directly  recognised 
by  the  senses.  The  transmission  of  electricity  to  our  nerves 
after  its  transference  into  nervous  action  does  not  produce 
any  sensation  of  a  special  character  ;  but  if  the  electric  current 

*  We  must  bear  in  mind  ihat  the  word  potential  is  always  applied  to 
change  not  manifest  to  the  senses,  so  that  it  is  contrary  in  its  meaning  to 
that  which  is  phenomi  nal,  and  presupposes  activity  in  matter,  or  movement. 


78 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


is  propagated  through  all  the  nerves  it  may  produce  all  kinds 
of  sensations,  and  it  may  even  be  transferred  into  a  motor 
current  producing  muscular  contractions.  Moreover,  the  same 
sensations  as  those  arising  from  electric  transference  may  also 
be  excited  by  molar,  molecular  and  progenic  phenomena. 
This  mduces  us  to  recognise  great  analogy  between  nervous 
and  electric  currents. 

There  are  two  electric  states  of  progenic  potentiality-one  of 
tension,  called  Static  Electricity,  and  the  other  of  current  called 
Dynamic  Electricity.    But  to  the  static  state  of  progene  belongs 
latent  heat  as  well  as  electricity ;  such  latent  heat  is  a  change 
m  the  energy  of  interstitial  progene  without  any  variation  in 
the  amplitude  of  the  progenic  parcels.     To  the  dynamic  state 
corresponds  also  radiating  heat  or  thermic  radiation      Never- 
theless we  do  not  here  take  into  consideration  thermic  potence 
either  m  its  static  or  its  dynamic  state,  because  its  principles  are 
derived  from  the  knowledge  of  electric  and  phenomenal  states. 
In  order  to  make  a  clearer  distinction,  we  classify  the  potential 
forms  in  the  following  table. 


THEOR  Y  OF  ELECTRICITY. 


79 


Static  states  : 
Tension. 


Latent  heat 
Static  electricity  . 


Dynamic  states  .-/Dynamic  electricity 
Propagation.     Urradiating  heat 


oscillation  of  interstitial  progene. 
conduction  and  rarefaction  in  the 

periphery, 
confirmed  current  of  progene. 
diffusion  of  progene. 


Light,  radiating  heat  and  dynamic  electricity,  then,  are 
translatory  movements  without  any  greater  difference  among 
them  than  in  the  form  of  progression.  Radiating  heat  and 
hght,  wh.ch  are  equal  in  the  direction  of  propagation,  differ  in 
the  ampHtude  and  celerity  of  progenic  emissions ;  electricity 
differs  from  both  in  the  direction  of  movement,  Ix^cause  they 
are  propagated  by  radiation  (spheroidal  form),  while  electricity 
IS  propagated  by  conduction  according  to  the  form  of  the 
conductor.    There  is  opposition  between  light  and  electricity 


also  in  their  property  of  propagation  across  bodies,  this 
depending  on  the  fact  that  the  former  is  a  diffuse  movement 
and  the  latter  one  of  condensation. 

In  the  Theory  of  Electricity  we  accept  the  ideas  of  P.  Secchi, 
and  consider  with  him  that  positive  electricity  depends  on  an 
excess  of  progene  and  negative  electricity  on  a  deficiency  of  the 
same  fluid  ;  considering  an  electric  battery  as  a  machine  which 
condenses  the  progene  at  one  point,  leaving  another  in  rare- 
faction, so  establishing  the  current  called  dynamic  electricity 
from  the  first  point  to  the  second ;  on  this  depends  the  positive 
and  negative  poles  of  the  battery. 

Although    electricity   acts   in  two  very  different   modes — 
tension    and     current — both    when    transferred    into    visible 
movement   are   manifested   by   apparent   attractions    and   re- 
pulsions,  but  they  differ  from  one  another  in  the  duration 
of  their  eff'ects,  as  the  phenomena  resulting  from  the  trans- 
ference of  electric  tension  are  instantaneous,  while  those  from 
electric  currents  are  continued.    The  two  modes  are  correlative, 
and  the  forms  of  movement  of  the  two  states  can  be  inter- 
changed ;  from  this  electricians  have  already  inferred  that  the 
substance  in  action  was  only  one,  though  of  different  forms 
of  movement,  each  manifested  by  a  series  of  phenomena  which 
differed  in  the  appearance  alone.     Nevertheless,  the  dynamic 
conditions  are  not  quite  the  same  in  these  two  modes,  as  in 
that  of  tension  (static  electricity)  there  is  equilibrium,  while  in 
the  electric  current  the  equilibrium  constantly  fails  between 
the  two  extremes  of  the  conductor,  this  being  the  cause  of  the 
transmission  of  the  potence  between  its  generator,  which  is 
ordinarily  chemic,  to  the  point  in  which  electricity  is  transferred 
into  any  phenomena  whatever. 

Electricity  is  capable  of  disturbing  the  position  and  molecular 
condition  of  bodies,  and  from  this  arises   those  mechanical 


80 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 


THEORY  OF  ELECTRICITY. 


81 


effects  called  magnetism  and  calorific  and   chemical   effects 
It  can  also  be  transferred  into  sonorous  and  luminous  pro^ 
pagation.      Some  authors,  wrongly  interpreting  these  effects 
have  formed  an  incorrect  concept  of  electricity.     To  condemn 
this  erroneous  idea,  and  to  convince  ourselves  that  the  electric 
current  is  a  true  progressive  movement  of  progene   running 
through  the  conductors,  we  must  repeat  a  reflection  already 
made   m    progenic    phenomena   in   regard   to   the    defective 
hypothesis   of  the   propagation   of   movement    by   means   of 
ponderable  matter  alone.     A  superficial  examination  of  facts 
has  mduced  some  scientists  to  form  such  a  supposition,  because 
.n  sound  as  well  as  in  light,  and  even  in  electricity,  movements 
of  ponderable  matter  are  observed  near  the  points  of  their 
production;  but  these  movements  are  only  propagated  to  a 
short  distance  in  proportion  to  the  course  which  has  to  be 
traversed  in  such  changes,  otherwise  a  complete  contradiction 
would   result   to   the   fundamental  law  of  mechanism,  which 
IS  the  prmcple  of  conservation  with  its  corollary  inertia  of 
matter. 

Closely  studying  the  act  of  production  of  electricity  in  the 
battery,  and  seeing  the  molecular  transportations  produced  in 
chemical  reactions,  we  cannot  do  less  than  compare  chemic 
to  magnetic  phenomena,  and  establish  a  great  analogy  between 
them,-with  this  difference  alone,  that  a  chemical  metamorphosis 
IS   like   a    molecular    magnetism.      Thermo-electric    currents 
show  us  that  in  the  propagation  of  heat  by  conduction  the 
phenomenon  is  double,  as  there  is  not  only  the  oscillatory 
propagation  which  produces  molecular  expansion,  but  there 
IS  also  a  flow  of  progene  in  the  direction  of  the  propagation  • 
this  IS  the  origin  of  dynamic  electricity  produced   by  heat' 
The  same  reflection  is  applicable  to  all  chemical  metamorphoses* 
and  for  this  reason  we  have  asserted  its  similarity  with  magnetic' 


action.  Any  lack  of  equilibrium  in  progenic  tensions  gives 
rise  to  movements  which  appear  to  produce  attractions  and 
repulsions ;  therefore  such  movements  do  not  represent  causing 
forces,  but  forces  resulting  from  different  pressures  of  progene. 
The  tendency  which  appears  in  nature  to  approximate  bodies 
and  particles  to  one  another — that  is,  universal  attraction  so- 
called — proceeds  from  progenic  movements  which  constantly 
exist.  Let  us  suppose,  for  instance,  two  bodies  in  proximity, 
and  with  different  progenic  tensions,  separated  by  a  movable 
means  like  the  air :  a  current  of  progene  will  be  determined 
flowing  towards  the  body  in  rarefaction  from  the  air,  and  this 
means  being  then  rarefied  will  cause  a  flow  of  progene  from 
the  body  which  is  in  condensation,  the  progenic  current 
moving  the  body  along  with  it  if  its  gravitating  resistance  is 
overcome  until  it  comes  in  contact  with  the  rarefied  body. 
It  may  also  happen  that  the  current  of  progene  from  a  body 
in  condensation  carries  along  with  it  the  bodies  which  are 
in  its  path,  so  determining  movements  having  the  appearance 
of  repulsion ;  this  will  be  more  manifest  between  two  bodies 
if  both  are  rarefied  or  are  overcharged  with  progene. 

The  empirical  laws  of  electric  currents  and  those  of  hydro- 
dynamics are  correlative  j  we  observe  in  electricity  the  same 
characteristic  properties  as  in  liquids,  such  as  the  effects  of 
tension  produced  by  water  through  tubes,  which  are  the  same 
as  the  electric  phenomena  called  induction.  When  the  course 
of  progene  is  interrupted,  the  same  thing  happens  as  when  an 
interruption  occurs  in  water  running  through  a  tube ;  in  both 
cases  a  pressure  is  produced  which  is  called  static  tension 
in  the  progene,  either  positive  or  negative  according  as  it  is 
condensed  or  rarefied. 

The  so-called  phenomena  of  induction,  by  which  the  analogy 
between  the  two  complementary  modes  of  electricity  (tension 

6 


S2 


SPECIAL  PHYSIOLOGY, 


and  current)  is  principally  recognised,  are  yet  incorrectly  con- 
sidered as  the  effect  of  a  peculiar  property  in   bodies.     So 
physicists   define   induction   by   saying   that   it  is  a   peculiar 
property    of    bodies    having    electric,   galvanic    or    magnetic 
polarity,  which  can  produce  the  same  power  in  other  bodies 
without  direct  contact.     Induction,  then,  they  consider  as  polar 
forces  acting  in  pairs  with  opposite  tendencies  of  properties 
in  two  primordial  imaginary  elements.    But  the  word  induction 
should  not  be  applied  either  to  electric  or  magnetic  results, 
because  that  would  imply  the  idea  that  there  are  phenomena 
which   may   be   produced   by   distant   influence   without   the 
intervention  of  any  impulsive  means ;  it  must  be  reserved  for 
the  elaborating  process  of  synthetic  thought  which  produces 
ideas  of  generalisation. 

It  is  not  within  the  limit  of  this  book  to  go  into  details 
about  the  variety  of  every  class  of  natural  mutations,  because 
in  order  to  do  so  we  should  have  to  make  simple  deductions 
from  the  general  or  comprehensive  theory  here  sustained, 
whose  complement  will  be  treated  of  in  the  next  parts—' 
Biology  and  Cosmology. 


PART   THIRD. 


PRINCIPLES    OF  ABSTRACT   BIOLOGY, 

CHAP.  XIX.  Concept  and  Division  of  Synthetic  Physiology. 
XX.  Principles  of  Descriptive  Biology  :  Micrography. 
XXI.  Principles  of  Genesic  Biology  :  Microgeny. 


>> 


n 


PART   THIRD. 


PRINCIPLES    OF  ABSTRACT  BIOLOGY 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

CONCEPT   AND    DIVISION    OF   SYNTHETIC   PHYSIOLOGY. 

Synthetic  Physiology  comprehends  Biology  and  Cosmology. 
Biology  must  be  limited  to  physiological  concepts,  not  including 
the  knowledge  about  the  origin  and  end  of  things,  or  mental 
activity  ;  for  Physiology  must  treat  only  of  knowledge  acquired 
by  sensual  data,— it  must  not  comprehend  the  totality  of 
the  Universal  System,  but  only  the  mechanical  world  whose 
synthesis  is  produced  in  and  by  living  bodies. 

Biology  may  be  either  abstract  or  concrete.  Abstract 
Biology  studies  the  changes  of  vitality  without  reference  to 
any  being  in  particular,  but  comprehending  the  generalities 
inferred  from  all  living  beings ;  while  Concrete  Biology  studies 
the  differences  between  organic  individualities,  first  establishing 
the  division  into  vegetable  and  animal  kingdoms,  and  sub- 
dividing these  into  classes  and  species— that  is  to  say,  classifying 
organic  bodies  in  order  to  study  them  in  particular.  In  this 
work  we  only  make  reference  to  Abstract  Biology. 

Synthetic   Physiology   is   circumscribed    to   the   combined 
study  of  all  objective  changes  (things  of  external  sensation) ; 


M^ik- 


86 


BIOLOGY, 


but   that  synthesis  may  l)e  either   total   or  partial,  the   first 
comprehending  the  whole  Cosmos- Cosmology,  and  the  second 
a  hvmg  mdividual  only,  in  which  take  place  the  changes  of  the 
whole  material  world  in  miniature-Microcosmos :  this  is  the 
object  of  Biology.     Physiological  Synthesis  consists,  then,  in  a 
functional  concurrence  in  which  all  phenomena  are  mechanical 
effects  or  variations  arising  from  movement,  because  the  vital 
functions  are  no  more  than  inorganic  changes  acting  in  perfect 
^ncert  in  every  organism,  as  they  do  in  the  Cosmic  System. 
Accordingly,  Synthetic  Physiology  tries  to  compass  the  combined 
study  of  the  changes  of  Nature,  comprehending  the  synthesis 

Analytic  Physiology,  and  producing  by  vitality  their  co-operation 

in  a  living  individual  and  in  Cosmos. 

Completely  separating  Physiology-  from  Metaphysics,  physio- 

ogists  are  circumscribed  to  the  study  of  material  effects,  to 

he  exclusion  of  mental  ones,  and  still  more  to  the  exclusion  of 
the  Generating  Cause,-that  is,  Physiology  does  not  include 
any  other  causes,  not  even  in  the  concept  of  vitality,  than 
those  that  are  proximate  up  to  the  immediate  antecedents  of 
manifested  changes  in  the  organic  functions.  It  is  clear  that 
m  this  sense  we   may  say  that  the  object  of  Physiology  is 

buTtheT    T*''.  '"^  ^''  ""'  '^^^  '"^"^^  -    '^  4  all 
but  the  physiologic;  on  the  contrary,  we  must  admit  a  True 

Cause  outside  mechanism  which  must  be  treated  not  physically 

but  metaphysically.     We  must  also  recognise  a  mental  activity 

Tf'^out/""  r''"'"'  '^  characteristics  being  differences 
of  quality,  and   its   power   inexplicable   by  movement.      We 

a'nTh"  >!''  ?"^  ''  '''  ^""'"'^  ^^  '''  -"  consciousness, 
and  by  the  relation  of  time,  without  l>eing  able  to  predicate 

of  it  any  phenomenal  activity   (that  is,  any  change  directly 

appreciable    by   the   senses)  or  any  relations  of  space.     Th 


CONCEPT  AND  DIVISION  OF  SYNTHETIC  PHYSIOLOGY.  87 

objective  or  material  being,  on  the  contrary,  has  as  constant  and 
indispensable  characteristics  the  predicate  of  extension,  implying 
material  substance,  and  movement,  implying  relation  not  only 
of  time  but  of  space.    Effectually  there  is  an  evident  distinction 
in  our  consciousness  between  the  material  and  the  mental : 
the  material  is  inert  (according  to  the  principle  of  conserva- 
tion),   and    is    known    by    the    relations    or    predicates    of 
quantity ;  the  mental  is  active,  and  is  known  by  the  attribu- 
tions  or   predicates    of  quality.      In   the   former  the   ante- 
cedents and  consequents  are  equivalent— there  is  no  creation 
of  anything  (inertia  of  matter),— while  in  the  latter  the  general 
conclusions  are  not  equivalent  to  their  antecedents,  as  they 
comprehend  the  universal,  that  is,  all  cases  of  the  same  kind, 
though  they  cannot  be  brought  under  our  observation  more 
than  in   a  limited   number,  inductive  thought  then  creating 
some   ideas.      In  material  differences  there   is  mathematical 
reason,  as  changes  of  matter  are  propagations  of  movement 
expressed  by  quantitative  differences  or  relations  of  space  and 
time,   connoting  identity   of  attribution— that   is,   substantial 
identity   and   identity   of    activity   (motion);   but   in    mental 
difference  there   is  no  more  reason  than  the  states  of  con- 
sciousness, and  the  changes  of  the  mind  consist  in  qualitative 
differences  inexplicable  by  movement,  as  in  them  we  cannot 
express  relations  of  space,  and  besides,  they  imply  differences 
in  substance  and  activity  which  cannot  be  known  in  regard 
to  propagation  of  movement. 

Hence,  universal  effects  are  of  two  kinds,  spiritual  and 
material ;  the  spiritual  are  the  subject  of  direct  perception, 
and  the  material  are  the  objects  perceived  not  directly,  but  by 
the  interactions  of  the  senses,  both  with  the  external  world 
and  the  mind ;  but  the  Primordial  Cause  of  all  effects  in  the 
universal  system  is  one  alone,  which  is  neither  subject  nor 


%% 


BIOLOGY. 


Object  of  perception  in  our  mind,-but  is  truly  the  Creator  and 
Generator  of  all  we  perceive.     Nevertheless  the  existence  of 
God,  Mmd,and  Matter  are  inconceivable  as  really  independent 
of  or  separate  from  one  another-that  is  to  say,  our  under- 
standing can    only   hold   the    ideal    abstraction   or    nominal 
independence  of  any  of  the  said  entities.      We  cannot  truly 
comprehend  a  real  being  which  could  be  cause  without  effect 
or    mental   subject   without   material   object,    or   vice  versa ' 
comprehending,  of  course,  in  this  concept  of  universal  depend' 
ence   the   mechanism   of  life   as  well  as   that  of  the  whole 
Cosmos.     For  this  reason  the  traditional  truth  of  Christian 
revelation  of  the  separate  existence  of  God,  Soul,  and  Body 
IS  and  always  will  be  a  complete   mystery,  inexplicable   by 
words  and  impenetrable  to  the   intelligence.     The  problems 
belongmg  to  this  transcendental  Trinity  are  beyond  the  limits 
of  Physiology  :  they  belong  to  Metaphysics. 

Physiological  explanations  can  never  pass  from  the  numerical 
equivalence  of  correlation  between  antecedents  and  consequents 
-but  this  is  not  to  assert  that  we  find  tenable  the  pretended 
scepticism  of  those  who  affirm  that  there  is  a  complete  mental 
satisfaction  of  causality  by  determining  in  numbers  the  relations 
of  Cosmic  effects.     Perhaps  this  may  satisfy  some  minds,  but 
It  cannot  satisfy  minds  privileged  with  such  intellectual  develop- 
ment  as  to  be  able  to  reach  the  contemplating  concept  of  a 
Supreme   Cause,   although   this   may   only  be  admitted  and 
recognised  by  the  attributions  and  relations  of  the  created 
principally   by   the   organic    and  psychic  activity   which   are 
multiplied  and  developed  in  the  Universe.      No  substantial 
predicate  or  relation  in  space  and  time  can  be  referred  to  the 
Creator,   as  we  cannot  have  any  concept  of  perfection  more 
than  the  material  and  the  mental :  God  is  inconceivable,  as 
He  cannot  be  either  one  or  the  other,  and  at  the  same  time 


CONCEPT  AND  DIVISION  OF  SYNTHETIC  PHYSIOLOGY.  89 

must  contain  the  capacity  for  both.  To  the  Supreme  Intelli- 
gence, as  to  any  human  intelligence  different  from  our  own 
mind,  we  cannot  make  reference  more  than  in  its  activity, 
and  this  is  revealed  to  us  by  the  government  of  the  Universal 
System—/.^.,  by  organic  generation. 

The  interactions  of  a  living  being  (as  of  any  object  whatever) 
are  of  two  kinds,  intrinsic  and  extrinsic :  in  the  former  the 
antecedent  and  consequent  of  the  action  are  within  the 
individual,  they  being  then  intransitive;  while  in  the  latter, 
one  of  the  terms  is  within  the  individuality  and  the  other  is 
without,  in  the  cosmic  means,  such  interactions  being  transitive. 
The  transference  of  one  kind  into  another  is  simply  by  pro- 
pagation. Intrinsic  as  well  as  extrinsic  interactions  may  be 
either  imponderable  (progenic),  or  ponderable  (molar  and 
molecular) ;  and  in  the  progenic  we  make  the  distinction  of 
phenomenal  and  potential,  according  as  the  changes  are  mani- 
fested or  latent.  We  always  employ  the  term  potential  not 
as  the  opposite  of  actual  or  active,  but  according  to  the  capacity 
of  our  perception  or  consciousness  of  propagation;  in  like 
manner  the  term  intransitive  is  also  relative  in  reference  to  a 
part  of  the  system  which  we  can  imagine  separate  from  the 
rest  only  by  mental  abstraction. 

We  must  not  forget  that  when  progenic  activity  is  directly 
propagated  through  interstitial  progene,  the  changes  we  have 
called  progenic  result,  which  generally  produce  in  bodies 
expansive  actions  apparently  repulsive  (as  thermic,  sonorous, 
and  luminous  propagations) ;  and  when,  on  the  contrary,  progenic 
action  is  transferred  to  ponderable  matter,  when  it  collides 
with  bodies,  a  contracting  action  results,  the  effect  of  molecular 
and  molar  changes  which  appear  to  be  produced  by  attraction, 
gravitation  (in  its  different  forms,  as  cohesion  and  affinity) 
and  magnetism.     Thus,  then,  progenic  propagations  through 


90 


BIOLOGY. 


bodies  produce  the  effect  of  dispersion  among  the  molecules 
wh.le  the  effect  of  ponderable  transference  is  compressive     If 
these  different  classes  of  changes  or  energies  exist  in  Cosmos 
m  general,  and  in  organism  in  particular,  forming  a  synthesis 
any  phenomenon  whatever,  either  in  Cosmos  or  in  a  living 
bemg,  is  the  result  of  the  antagonistic  operations  of  the  forms 
of  progenic  propagation  with  those  of  transference     Thus  for 
mstance,  a  potential  change  like  progenic  transmission  (elec- 
tricity and   what  physiologists   call    automatic  and   nervous 
action)  is  a  virtual  result  from  the  conflict  of  the  potential 
state  of  progene  with  the  movements  of  sound,  heat,  light 
cohesion,  affinity,  gravity,  and  magnetism. 

Physiological  Synthesis  cannot  have  a  perfectly  developed 
theory  as  long  as  it  cannot  mathematically  explain  the  changes 
of   propagation    and    transferences  which  are    combined    in 
vitality.     When  can  this  point  be  reached,  which  must  be  the 
beacon  of  the  physiologists  of  the  future?     That  we  cannot 
calculate,  because  a  great  analytical   difficulty   is  yet  to  be 
overcome,  which  now  only  allows  us  to  make  a  very  defective 
study  of  Physiological  Synthesis.     The  molecular  movements 
of  chemical  metamorphoses,  and  progenic  movements,  are  not 
yet  measured  either  directly  or  with  precision,  as  are  those  of 
the  steam-engine ;  hence  arises  the  lack  of  fundamental  know- 
ledge of  necessary  data  to  experiment  on  the  transferences  of 
the  different  forms  of  energy  in  Cosmos  and  in  organism.    The 
work  IS  as  yet  scarcely  begun  in  physiological  analysis,  and 
until  the  knowledge  of  Cosmos  is  analytically  complete  we 
cannot  take  one  secure  step  in  its  synthesis.     Nevertheless 
experience  has  begun  to  prepare  the  field  with  what  is  called 
Chemical  Synthesis. 

Biology  must  spring  from  the  irreflexive  state  of  actuality 
surpassing  its  descriptive  limits  to  investigate  rationally  the 


CONCEPT  AND  DIVISION  OF  SYNTHETIC  PHYSIOLOGY.  91 

effected  genesis  of  organism.  When  it  makes  this  progress, 
vitality  will  have  the  same  mechanical  explanation  of  its  effects 
as  the  phenomena  which  are  combined  in  it;  but  we  must 
never  confound  such  explanations  with  the  things  themselves, 
as  the  result  of  the  process  of  reasoning  is  not  the  same  as 
the  genesic  order  of  things ;  it  is  precisely  inverse  to  that : 
the  first  effects  we  discover  are  those  proximate  to  our  senses, 
and  consequently  farther  removed  from  the  Primordial  Cause. 
This  inversion  between  the  logical  order  of  thought  and  the 
genesic  order  of  cosmic  activity  or  movement  must  always  be 
kept  in  mind  in  order  to  avoid  falling  into  the  monistic  error 
of  evolutionism.  The  doctrine  of  primordial  genesis — Cosmo- 
gony— is  not  physiologic,  it  is  metaphysic. 

All  that  has  been  said  confirms  our  assertion  that  Synthetic 
Physiology  does  not  study  anything  new,  as  the  living  func- 
tions are  only  the  syntheses  of  changes  occurring  in  the 
organic  world ;  but  because  of  this  we  must  not  arrive  at  the 
erroneous  conclusion  of  materialism,  which  asserts  that  the 
vital  synthesis  results  from  material  activity,  when  in  the  true 
order  of  succession  the  changes  of  the  inorganic  world  are 
secondarily  derived  from  the  activity  of  living  beings.  We 
include  the  theory  of  gravitation  in  Physiological  Synthesis, 
Ixicause  it  is  not  a  primordial  agency,  but  a  result  derived 
from  the  vital  function  of  organism.  We  shall  explain  plane- 
tary movements,  gravity  and  terrestrial  magnetism,  by  progenic 
impulsions  arising  from  the  difference  between  the  changes  in 
vegetable  and  animal  organisms,  and  also  from  the  difference 
in  both  organic  kingdoms  during  the  day  and  night. 

The  field  of  Synthetic  Physiology  once  determined,  we  must 
divide  it  into  its  logical  departments.  Biology  and  Cosmolog>% 
Abstract  Biology  studies  individual  synthesis  in  general — that 
is,  the  concept  of  the  living  element — which,  being  ordinarily 


9» 


BIOLOGY. 


in.croscop.c,  may  be  called   Mfcrocosmos,   in   opposition   to 
Macrocosmos,  which  is  the  whole  world,  whose  synthesis  is 
the  object  of  Cosmology.     We  have  subdivided  Biology  and 
Cosmology  into  two  departments,  in  order  to  separate  what 
.s  purely  descriptive   (relations   of  space)  from   that  which 
.s  genesic  (relation  of  activity  in  time),  the  four  following 
departments   resulting:- ,st.    Abstract  descriptive    Biology 
or   Micrography;    2nd,   Abstract  genesic  Biology,  or  Micro^ 
geny ;  3rd,  Cosmography,  a  general  description  of  the  world  • 
and    4th,   Cosmogeny,    the    effected    involution   of  Cosmos' 
Cosmogeny  must  not  be    confounded  with   the  same  term 
m  Its  metaphysical  sense-Cosmogony,  the  doctrine  of  primor- 
dial  genesis. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

PRINCIPLES   OF   DESCRIPTIVE    BIOLOGY  :    MICROGRAPHY. 

First  of  all,  let  us  thoroughly  and  briefly  explain  the  concept 
of  liYing  matter.     In  the  general  concept  of  matter  we  have 
explamed  the  meaning  of  the  abstract  terms  mass  and  move- 
ment,  and  here  we  must  now  explain  their  correlative  organic 
terms,  protoplasm  and  irritability.     All  the  arguments  employed 
to  convince  us  that  mass  and  movement  are  merely  concepts 
or  mental  abstractions  are  equally  applicable  to  the  concepts 
of  protoplasm  and  irritability.     They  are  nothing  but  words 
comprehending  all  the  abstractions  referring  to   organism   in 
general ;  for  any  organised  object  is  in  reality  one  alone,  and 
not  an  aggregation   of  protoplasm   and   irritability :  it   is   an 
orgamsm,  acting  of  course,  and  not  an  aggregate  of  organs 
and  functions.     Hence  protoplasm  and  irritability  signify  only 
the  ultimate  notion  of  living  attributes,  and  therefore  represent 


DESCRIPTIVE  BIOLOGY;   MICROGRAPHY. 


93 


the  limit  of  generalisations  in  the  inductive  process  regarding 

living  bodies. 

Physiologists,  whether  they  have  forgotten  or  ignored  the 
true  ideal  signification  of  such  abstract  terms,  have  arrived 
at  the  erroneous  conclusion  that  living  phenomena  are  simply 
consequences  of  attraction  and  repulsion,  resulting  from  the 
concurrence  of  some  elemental  substances,  and  consider 
nature  as  a  continuous  succession  of  cause  and  effect  sub- 
ordinate only  to  those  mechanical  laws  which  they  consider 
as  the  Primordial  Cause,  and  therefore  suppose  objects 
endowed  with  inherent  power  of  transformation,  which  has 
determined  in  the  Universe,  they  say,  a  vast  process  of  de- 
velopment or  evolution. 

We  do  not  tire  of  repeating  that  the  mental  necessity  of 
abstractions  in  the  formation  of  thought,  and  in  its  communica- 
tion by  language,  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  concrete 
nouns  which  represent  things  existing  in  reality.  Thus,  there 
are  not  two  independent  beings,  one  static  and  the  other 
dynamic  :  this  distinction  is  only  a  verbal  one,  imposed  by 
descriptive  discourse,  and  nothing  else,  and  therefore  an 
organism  is  not  a  compound  of  protoplasm  and  irritability ; 
on  the  contrary,  living  bodies  are  constituted  of  an  irriuble 
matter  called  protoplasm,  but  we  must  not  forget  that  such  a 
qualification  as  irritable  does  not  represent  any  abstract  force 
to  produce  living  reactions  (irritability),  but  the  mechanical 
result  of  the  combined  intermotions  in  organism. 

How  many  discussions  lost  in  confusion  have  been  sustained 
in  all  centuries  by  men,  otherwise  very  distinguished  in  science, 
thinking  that  such  a  separation,  which  is  purely  verbal,  is  a 

real  one  ! 

Accordingly,  there  is  no  such  thing  as  irritability  in  the 
sense  of  a  vital  force  :  the  first  agent  we  know  in  the  sphere 


54 


BIOLOGY. 


*,'- 


of  physiological    actions   is   already   a   secondary    one :    this 
agen   .  progene  in  movement  under  its  two  forms  oscillatory 

^olr  K  ''"''  "'  ''"'  "'^^"^"^^  "'^^^  communicated  to 
ponderable  matter  produce  the  apparent  effects  of  attraction 

etr^eT t:  ^'''''  ^^  '^^^  ^^"^'  '^^^"^^'^  ^^  ^--^n 
enemies      rh,s  occurs  in  the   same  manner  in  living  as  in 

dead  matter.     Translatory  movement,  being  implied  in  pheno- 
mena  havmg    the    appearance    of    molecular    attraction,   as 
cohesion  affimty  and  gravity,  necessarily  supposes  the  cur;ent 
action  of  progene,  while  the  oscillatory  movement  of  progene 
wh,ch  causes  heat  must  be  the  origin  of  all  phenomena  having 
the  appearance  of  molecular  repulsion.      Besides,  there  are 
phenomena  called   magnetic   which   have   the  appearance  of 
molar  attraction   and   repulsion ;    these   must   necessarily   be 
determmed  by  translatory  movement  of  progene,  and  therefore 
hey  must  be  considered  as  effects  of  progenic  potence   in 
all  Nature,  m  the  inorganic  as  well  as  in  the  organic  world. 

These  terms  inorganic  and  organic  or  organised  are  some- 
what  equivocal,  as   chemists   and   naturalists   use  them   in  a 
different  sense-chemists   including   the  so-called   immediate 
principles  as  organic  matter,  while  naturalists  have  the  tendency 
to  arcumscribe  organic  to  those  complex  parts  of  a  being 
which  are  engaged  in  an  especial  function.     We  use  the  term 
inorganic  here  when  we  make  reference  to  that  which  results 
from   the  phenomenal   and   substantial   analysis   of   Cosmos 
and  which  we  may  refer  to  bodies  lacking  life  as  well  as  to 
living  bodies,  in  opposition  to  the  qualification  organic,  which 
we   apply  only  to  living   matter   (that   is,   to    the   synthetic 
structures   and   operations   of  living  bodies,  from    the    most 
simple  to  the    most  complex)  and  to   the  complex  though 
dead  matter  which  can  only  be  formed  by  organism.     Thus 
the  cellule  (and  aU  living  matter  derived  from  it)  is  organic 


DESCRIPTIVE  BIOLOGY:  MiCROGkAPHV. 


05 


substance,  and  the  generation  in  the  individual  as  well  as  in 
the  species  is  organic  activity. 

Authors  of  Biology  generally  make  two  syntheses,  separating 
the  vegetable  and  animal.  In  vegetable  synthesis  they  com- 
prehend reproduction  (a  function  of  visible  cellular  movement) 
and  nutrition  (a  function  of  invisible  molecular  movement). 
They  consider  animal  synthesis  more  complex,  comprehending, 
besides  two  other  functions,  muscular  contraction  (a  function 
consisting  of  a  visible  return  movement)  and  innervation  (a 
function  of  potential  or  latent  change).  But  such  a  distinction 
between  vegetable  and  animal  life  cannot  be  made,  as  it  is  not 
a  true  one,  at  least  in  Abstract  Biology,  because  the  vegetable 
kingdom  is  not  absolutely  wanting  in  the  two  functions  which 
they  consider  special  to  the  animal  kingdom.  Thus,  then, 
biological  synthesis  must  be  one  comprehending  the  four 
kinds  of  functions :  reproduction,  nutrition,  contraction,  and 
innervation. 

We  must  bear  in  mind  that  mental  or  conscious  activity 
must  not  be  comprehended  in  real  or  sensual  nature;  ideal 
or  psychic  entity  does  not  correspond  to  physiological  studies, 
and  consequently  Biology  must  not  intrude  into  what  is 
exclusively  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  mind,  and  beyond 
the  reach  of  our  senses. 

All  organism  in  its  origin  or  ovular  state  is  a  minute  globule 
essentially  formed  of  a  highly  complex  organised  substance 
called  protoplasm,  which  is  usually  enveloped  in  a  membrane 
called  cellular,  and  ordinarily  contains  a  condensed  nucleus. 
There  are  many  living  bodies  whose  constant  state  is  the 
globular,  called  also  cellular:  such  are  the  microscopic  organisms 
called  unicellular ;  but  most  living  bodies  (those  which  are  seen 
by  the  naked  eye)  grow  by  a  cellular  multiplication,  the 
numerous  cellules  being  developed  and  arranged  in  marvellous 


96 


B/oLocy. 


order,  forming  a  multicellular  organism.  In  these  some  of  the 
cellules  lose  their  primitive  globular  form,  and  take  fibrous, 
tubular  and  membranous  forms;  others  form  a  substance  of 
uniform  appearance,  separating  the  cellules  more  or  less  from 
one  another,  being  called  for  this  reason  intercellular  substance 
wh.ch  may  be  either  solid  or  liquid-in  the  first  case  forming 
tissues,  and  in  the  second  the  constituent  liquids  of  organism 

I-rom  the  chemical  analysis  of  the  ovule  and  its  derived 
organic  elements  four  simple  bodies  principally  result-carbon 
oxygen,  hydrogen,  and  nitrogen,-which,  combined  with  very' 
small  proportions  of  other  elements  (sulphur,  phosphorus, 
chlorine,  sodium,  potassium,  calcium,  and  iron),  form  chemical 
species  of  definite  composition  called  organic  principles, 
which  may  be  separated  and  distinguished  from  one  another  by 
molar  division,  without  being  subjected  to  chemical  analysis 

Particular  attention   must   be  called   to  the  fact  that  all 
the   immediate    principles    of   organism   are    compounds  of 
carbon-a  fixed  solid,  perhaps  the  most  perfect  in  its  solidity 
-and  of  the  gases  oxygen,  hydrogen,  and  nitrogen,  which 
are  the  only  ones  that  can  be  called  perfect  in  their  gaseous 
state.     This  condition,  being  so  general  in  organic  consti 
tu  ion,  must  be  very  important,  although   its  object  is  as 
yet  unknown  to  us. 

The  substances  for  the  formation  or  elaboration  of  organ- 
isms are  of  two  kinds-ponderable  and  imponderable ;  the 
earth  and  atmosphere  are  the  source  of  ponderable  substances, 
and  the  rays  of  light  are  the  source  of  the  imponderable 
meta-fluid  or  progene. 

The  first  and  most  important  fact  of  the  elaboration  of 
immediate  principles  occurs  chiefly  in  vegetables,  whose 
leaves  and  other  green  parts  containing  chlorophyll  may 
appropriate  the  progene  necessary  to  pro^iuce  a    chemical 


DESCRIPTIVE  BIOLOGY:  MICROGRAPHY. 


97 


reaction  between  carbonic  acid  and  water,  in  order  to  form 
hydrocarburet  and  eliminate  oxygen.     Rays  of  light  are  also 
necessary  for  the  successive  reactions   of  organism,  among 
which  the  most  important  is  dishydratation  (elimination   of 
water  from  a  combination).     In  organism  there  are  not  only 
reactions  with  absorption  of  heat,  or  endothermic  reactions, 
but  also  exothermic  reactions,  in  which  there  is  elimination 
of  heat  and  carbonic  acid  with  absorption  of  oxygen.     These 
last  combinations  occur  in  organic  matter  which  lacks  chloro- 
phyll (colouring  substance),  and  also  in  all  organisms  when 
not  under   the    action   of   sunlight;  they   are    necessary  for 
calorific  reparation  in  organism,  and  for  the  compensation  of 
other  losses  of  living  force,  which  are  continually  dissipated 
in  the  works  of  Cosmic  Mechanism.     So  during  the  night 
all  living  bodies,  whatever  their  colour  and  class,  exhale  the 
products  of  exothermic  reactions,  while  during  the  day  there 
is  an  «xcess  of  endothermic   combinations,  or  chemical   re- 
duction in  the  green  vegetation  which  contains  chlorophyll. 
Inferior     microscopic    organisms    also    assist    the    vegetable 
kingdom  in  its  work  of  organic  formation,  especially  in  the 
elaboration  of  nitrogenous  principles.      Chemical  reaction  of 
animal  life  is  a  kind  of  oxidation,  which  ends  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  organic  matter,  thus  providing  the  heat  and  movement 
necessary  for  the  play  of  their  own  mechanism  and  that  of 
the  world  in  general.    The  constituent  substances  of  organism, 
progene  included,  are  in  this  manner  in  constant  circulation, 
being  taken   from   inorganic   means   by  the  vegetable  world 
and  restored  to  that  cosmic  means  by  animal  life. 


98 


BIOLOGY. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

PRINCIPLES   OF   GENESIC    BIOLOGY  ;     MICROGENY. 

Organic  genesis  comprehends  individual  evolution  during  the 
time  an  organism  preserves  its  existence,  and  reproduction  of 
species  when  the  multiplication  of  beings  is  produced. 

Individual  evolution  may  be  summarised  in  the  three  following 
propositions  : — 

ist.  The  vegetable  world  produces  transferences  of  progenic 
energies  propagated  from  the  inorganic  world  into  molecular 
energies,  while  the  animal  kingdom  transfers  the  progenic 
and  molecular  energies  which  it  draws  from  the  vegetable 
world  into  molar  energies,  and  restores  to  the  inorganic  world 
the  progenic  power,  which  was  transferred  into  molecular  by 
vegetation. 

2nd.  In  lK)th  living  kingdoms  such  acts  have  chemical 
metamorphosis  as  the  first  manifestations  of  vitality,  whose 
force  is  measured  by  calories,  and  therefore  the  calories  must 
also  serve  as  a  standard  of  comparison  to  determine  the  relative 
quantivalence  of  vitality.  This  concept  is  indispensable  for 
the  progress  of  Biology,  and  will  be  made  by  taking  as  a  basis 
the  law  of  maximum  work  when  we  discover  the  transforma- 
tions which  take  place  in  every  being,  and  the  degree  of 
stability  in  its  composition. 

3rd.  The  potence  which  is  the  limit  of  our  physiological 
mvestigations  is  progenic;  admitting  and  recognising  that  the 
Generatmg  Cause  (Creator)  constructs  organic  structures  by 
means  of  currents  of  progene  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
morganic  combinations  are  formed,  because  at  bottom  organic 


GENESIC  BIOLOGY:  MICROGENY. 


99 


as  well  as  inorganic  reactions  are  only  material  combinations 
or  changes  in  molecular  extension. 

And  what  is  the  interaction  between  the  Generating  Cause 
and  progene  ?  This  is  a  metaphysical  problem.  Physiology 
only  investigates  the  successive  changes  which  are  effected  in 
organic  structures  already  formed.  Neither  can  the  selective 
organising  power  of  vitality,  which  is  the  sole  cause  of  pro- 
motion in  nature,  directly  operate  more  than  in  living  bodies ; 
nor  can  an  organism  be  formed  by  only  a  transmutation  or 
transference  from  phenomena  or  material  changes.  Vital 
power  in  itself  must  not  be  included  in  the  physical  investi- 
gations of  the  successive  changes  of  the  Universe,  because  we 
cannot  know  by  the  senses,  nor  can  we  derive  from  pheno- 
mena alone,  the  knowledge  of  the  Primordial  Cause  which 
constantly  perturbs  Nature  in  its  well-ordered  concert.  We 
must  not  confound  the  physiological  concept  of  Cosmogeny 
with  the  primordial  genesis  of  Metaphysics,  for  this  doctrine 
has  nothing  to  do  with  objective  sciences. 

Organism  by  such  a  power  of  collocation,  which  determines 
its  reproduction  and  development,  needs  ponderable  matter  to 
constitute  its  tangible  structures,  and  imponderable  matter  to 
employ  as  a  mechanical  means  in  transferences  or  indirect 
transmissions.  In  this  manner  organism  is  the  origin  of  all 
natural  phenomena,  realising  a  work  of  production  of  living 
force  at  the  expense  of  potential  energy  in  order  to  repair  the 
dissipation  of  manifested  energy  in  those  partial  systems  called 
mechanic.  Effectually  living  bodies  appropriate  cosmic 
potence  (latent  progene)  and  surrounding  matter  to  form 
organic  structures ;  and  to  generate  such  a  complicated  colloca- 
tion of  material  it  is  necessary  not  only  to  assimilate  ponderable 
matter,  but  to  increase  the  progenic  energy  which  is  freed  in 
the  moment  of  decomposition. 


lOO 


BIOLOGY, 


We  can  show  at  a  glance  the  difference  between  mechanic 
and  genesic  work  by  means  of  brief  formulae,  representing  by 
small  r  the  resulting  living  force  of  change,  and  by  small /the 
living  force  expended.     Then  we  have  the  formulae  :— 

Mechanical  work,  =  M,  is  r  </; 
Genesic  work,  =  C,  is  r>/ 

And  representing  by  capital  ^  and  F  the  sum  of  the  resultant 
and  expended  forces  in  the  whole  Cosmos,  including  potential 
state,  we  have 

Cosmic  work,  -  C,  is  ^  -  /*. 

We  know  by  mechanics  that  the  work  of  any  transference 
may  be  presented  in  round  numl^ers  thus  :  r=^ ;  and  therefore, 
with  the  guarantee  of  the  principle  of  conservation  of  energy 
in  the  universe,  we  infer  the  formula  of  genesic  work  in  round 
numbers  r  —  2/.     This  is  the  formula  of  the  great  secret  of 
Nature,  as  it  represents  the  antagonistic  and  repairing  action 
of  mechanical  dissipation.      The  total  work  of  Cosmos,  com- 
prehending both    ^  and  2/   which   we  represent  in  a  whole 
by  R,  may  be  condensed  in  the  formula  R  ^  F,  that  is,  con- 
servation of  energy.      In  this  last  formula  and   principle  we 
must  take  into  account  the  constant  conversion  of  living  force 
in  mechanism   into   latent   by  the   determined   resistance   of 
centrifugal  oscillation  and  the  centripetal  pressure  of  progene 
in  ponderable  matter— that  is  to  say,  by  thermic  potence  and 
principally  by  the  resistance  of  gravity. 

Mechanical  or  artificial  synthesis  must  not  be  confounded 
with  biological  or  natural.  The  difference  does  not  consist  in 
the  possibility  of  producing  any  change  whatever.  When  a 
chemist  combines  carbon,  hydrogen,  oxygen,  and  nitrogen,  to 
form  immediate  principles,  he  cannot  do  it  as  an  organism, 
because  he  needs  to  employ  a  living  force  greater  than  the 


GENESIC  BIOLOGY:  MICROGENY. 


lOI 


resultant.  In  the  same  manner,  if  a  chemist  in  the  future 
should  be  able  to  accumulate  the  immediate  principles  in  order 
to  form  protoplasm,  it  is  certain  that  the  work  then  produced 
will  be  under  the  same  mechanical  condition,  that  is,  according 
to  the  formula  r  ^/or  r=^— phenomenal  resultant  about  half 
less  than  employed  force  (excluding  that  which  is  latent).  A 
chemist  will  never  be  able  to  do  that  which  is  done  by  an 
organism,  to  elaborate  organic  matter  with  the  formula  r  >  /, 
or  r  =  2/— that  is,  phenomenal  resultant  twice  as  great  as  the 
expended  living  force:  this  is  a  problem  which  Chemistry 
cannot  resolve,  any  more  than  Mechanics  can  ever  resolve  the 
problem  of  perpetual  movement,  which  is  a  cosmic  work 
according  to  the  formula  R  =  i^— resultant  equal  to  the 
expended  force.  This  is  sufficient  to  set  aside  all  trans- 
formistic  ideas  which  try  to  explain  the  origin  and  evolution 
of  Nature  by  matter  alone,  the  only  principle  which  trans- 
formists  admit  in  the  Universe. 

Many  scientists  believe  that,  in  the  future,  chemical  synthesis 
will  be  able  to  explain  organic  generation,  basing  this  belief 
on  the  sole  reason  that  they  expect  to  elaborate  all  the 
immediate  principles  of  organic  bodies.  But  this  would  not 
be  an  organic  synthesis  ;  it  would  be  only  the  first  link  in  the 
chain  of  successive  analysis.  Furthermore,  even  if  we  suppose 
that  the  chemist  of  the  future  in  the  laboratory  can  reach  that 
point  where  he  can  associate  the  immediate  principles  to 
form  a  complete  organic  structure,  is  it  logical  to  deny  an 
elaborating  intelligence  to  the  natural  laboratory  of  a  living 
body  when  we  necessarily  admit  it  in  the  artificial  one  ?  Such 
a  primordial  organising  intelligence  is  not,  in  truth,  perceived 
by  the  human  mind,  because  no  one  can  be  conscious  of 
another's  intelligence ;  but  it  must  be  conscious  in  the  Divinity 
itself,  it  being  contradictory  to  suppose  an  unconscious  intelli- 


I02 


BIOLOGY, 


gence,  and  in  it  alone  arc  the  purpose  and  finality  of  objects 
or  natural  beings.  * 

The  conditions  of  the  cosmic  means  are  never  complete 
or  perfect  for  the  development  of  an  organism,  as  in  the 
successive  mtermingling  phenomena  of  Cosmos  there  is  always 
some  deficiency;  and  so  in  a  finite  number  of  objects  L 
never  contemplate  absolute  qualities,  which  can  be  attributed 
onb-  to  the  Infinite.  The  Infinite  alone  can  be  true,  good, 
and  beautiful  in  absolute ;  only  the  Universe  as  a  whole 
■s  a  true,  good,  and  beautiful  system  in  absolute :  one  part 
a  one,  as  the  living  body,  cannot  be  more  than  relative  in 
aJl  and  for  all. 

In  General  Physics  we  have  demonstrated  that  all  forces 
are  measures  of  resulting  movements,  and  that  all  physiological 
laws  express   only    relations    among  the  efiects   of  Nature  • 
neither  forces   nor    mechanical   laws  are    generating  causes' 
which   could  produce  primordial  effects.     It   is   therefore  a 
pretension    not    to   be  realised,    that    tendency   of  modern 
authors   of  Physiology  to  explain  all   natural  phenomena  by 
variations  in  the  structure  and  configuration  of  bodies  ;  other- 
wise we  should  onlyjiave  to  invert  the  terms  of  the  phrase 
and  then  say  that  the  formation  and  configuration  of  organic 
structures  are  explained  by  themselves.     But  this  is  evidently 
false,  because  the  greatest  analogies  in  the  germs  of  organism 
correspond  to  the    greatest    individual    differences    in   their 
ulterior  development,  that    is,    in    the  phenomena   of  their 
succession. 

The  collocation  of  matter  in  organism  is  an  inconceivable 
change;  it  is  completely  opposed  to  the  fact  of  inertia  of 
matter,  and  is  therefore  an  action  of  immaterial  influence. 
Eff-ectually,  by  propagation  of  movement  alone  we  cannot 
construct  any  organised  body,  even  theoretically,  because  as 


GENESIC  BIOLOGY:  MICROGENY, 


»03 


we  hrve  already  seen,  in  it  the  contrary  happens  to  what 
takes  place  in  an  inorganic  machine:  there  is  a  conversion 
of  latent  power  into  manifested,  from  this  resulting  the  genera- 
tion of  actual  and  disposable  forces,  instead  of  the  dissipation 
of  living  or  phenomenal  energy,  as  we  see  constantly  produced 
by  any  pure  mechanical  means,  complicated  and  perfect  though 

it  may  be. 

The  power  of  generation  or  of  collocation  in  organism  is 
metaphysical ;  nevertheless  we  have  sufficient  reason  to  declare 
fully  that  there  is  no  possibility  of  explaining  the  construction 
of  living  matter  more  than  by  the  influence  of  an  Intelligent 
Cause,  which  cannot  be  perceived  by  our  consciousness.  The 
generation  of  potence  which  directs  the  collocation  of  organic 
principles  in  the  construction  of  a  living  body  is  as  enigmatic 
as  the  creation  of  inorganic  material. 

Cellular  Multiplication.— K  complete  exposition  and  dis- 
cussion of  the  different  doctrines  of  organic  generation  would 
be  almost  interminable,  but  we  will  confine  ourselves  here 
to  mentioning  only  the  principal  ones,  and  these  as  briefly 
as  possible.  All  may  be  comprehended  in  two  groups  :  one 
embraces  those  pretending  to  give  a  genesic  explanation, 
or  discover  the  original  mystery  by  expressing  vain  words 
representing  abstract  forces— as  biontologic  animism,  vitalism, 
directing  and  creating  force,  vital  affinity,  and  so  on;  and 
the  other  group  comprehends  the  descriptive  explanations  of 
the  formation  of  new  cellules,  as  the  so-called  cellular  and 
blastematic  theories. 

Some  histologists,  of  the  French  school  in  particular, 
sustain  that  among  the  morphologic  elements  of  organic 
tissues  there  are  semi-liquid  substances  which  almost  always 
contain  elements  of  new  formation  which  they  suppose  to 
be  formed  by  a  kind  of  free  condensation  of  this  semi-liquid 


I04 


BIOLOGY. 


they  call    blastema.     Those   who   sustain    this    free   cellular 
formafon   admit   it  ir,  the  following  cases  :-rst,  Generation 

til    r?'*?""?  ''""'"'■"  ^™"'^  ^"^  '■'='"="^)  ■'  ^"d.  I-o^a- 
t.on  of  the  first  elements  of  an  embryo ;  3rd.  Generation  and 

rcgeneratmn  of  epithelium  ;  and  4th,  Generation  of  the  greater 
part  of  pathologic  neoplasm. 

The   cellular   theory    is    principally   held    by   the   German 
school,   and   is    to-day    the    most   extended   throughout   the 
world.     Its  propositions  may  be  expressed   in   the  following 
terms  :_.st   The  cellule  is  the  characteristic  and  pre-existent 
element  of  all  living  forms,  the  succession  and  conservation 
of  vitahty  being  linked  to  it;   .nd.  The  nucleus  is  the  part 
wh,ch  contributes  most  to  sustain   and    multiply  the  living 
elements;    3rd,  The  protoplasm  is  the   part  which  gives  to 
the  cellules  their  special  characters;  and  4th,  Every  cellule 
of  those  formmg  a  complex  organism  is  an  individuality  which 

This  last   proposition   expresses  as  erroneous  a  concept  of 
^e     e„u  e  as  does  that  of  physicists    and    chemists    about 

wlr  emn.      J""       °"'  "''"''  "'^  ^"'"'^  "^euments  which 
Thus    rr,M  "'"T  ""'""  •'"°""'="   '■'  •-'P'^'-We   here. 

dement  always  analogous  and  constant  in  all  living  todies- 
thus  stnppmg   the   cellule,   which  has  a  true  cellular  figure 

thai    e   1"^  '"'."'•"  '■"  "■"  ^^^'  "^  ^°"-'^  existence.'  S 
although   ths     may   l,e   under  a  diffuse,    asymmetrical   and 
perhaps  sem.-hquid  form.     On  the  other  hand,  without  de  ay 
ng  ourselves   to  investigate   the  existence  and   functions  of 
blastema.  ,e  is  sufficient  here  to  remark  that  the  two    chLs 


CELLULAR  MULTLPLICATION, 


105 


French  and  German,  do  not  differ  essentially  in  their  funda- 
mental concepts,  and  that  both  are  contradictory  to  the  true 
principles  of  Physiological  Theory,  as  they  tend  to  inculcate 
independence  among  the  parts  of  the  System,  so  sowing  the 
unsound  seeds  of  transformism. 

All  living  beings,  elemental  as  well  as  complex,  are  subject 
to  a  fixed  determined  evolution,  being  necessarily  born  from 
a  germ ;  our  organism,  as  well  as  every  one  of  the  living 
elements  which  constitute  it,  must  be  engendered  in  direct 
succession :  omne  vivum  ex  (n'o=^omnis  cellula  a  cellula.  We 
recognise  the  truth  of  this  assertion  of  the  cellular  theory,  but 
we  interpret  the  term  cellule  in  the  most  extended  sense 
according  to  abstract  signification,  including  in  it  even  the 
free  masses  of  protoplasm ;  although  in  general,  especially  in 
superior  beings,  the  generating  elements  have  their  own  form 
more  or  less  like  a  typical  cellule. 

After  birth  all  individuals  follow  three  successive  stages 
during  development — growth,  fixed  condition,  and  declining  to 
death.  Growth  depends  on  the  sum  of  the  interaction  of 
constituent  elements  producing  an  increase  of  the  anatomic 
elements  already  existing,  principally  by  new  elements  formed 
by  multiplication  of  those  pre-existent.  The  form  of  organic 
growth  explains  the  other  two  stages  in  the  evolution  of  life, 
because  they  grow  in  their  totality  relatively  more  on  their 
surface,  as  the  ratio  of  the  cube  to  the  square.  The  molar 
work  also,  principally  in  animal  life,  is  greater  in  proportion 
to  the  growth,  without  increasing  the  ingress  of  matter ;  and 
besides  the  constant  diffusion  of  liquids  through  the  mem- 
branes, leaves  mineral  substances  incrusted  in  them,  eventually 
producing  their  true  mineralisation,  which  decreases  their 
endosmotic  power,  and  therefore  their  activity  for  the  inter- 
change of  matter. 


PART   FOURTH. 


PRINCIPLES    OF    ABSTRACT   COSMOLOGY, 

CHAP.    XXII.  Principles   of    Descriptive    Cosmology  :    Cosmo- 
graphy. 
^      XXIII.  Principles  of  Genesic  Cosmology:  Cosmogeny. 

A.  General  Idea  of  Involution  of  Cosmos. 
„       XXIV.  Cosmogeny  {continued). 

B,  Circulation  of  Progene. 


PART    FOURTH. 


PRINCIPLES    OF    ABSTRACT    COSMOLOGY. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


PRINCIPLES   OF   DESCRIPTIVE   COSMOLOGY  :   COSMOGRAPHY. 


Descriptive  studies  are  not  fruitful  in  abstract  considera- 
tions; nevertheless,  as  in  Biology  we  have  mentioned  the 
most  general  data  of  organic  elements,  referring  especially 
to  the  best  known  cellular  type — the  ovule, — so  in  Cosmology 
we  will  recapitulate  the  principal  generalisations,  inferring 
them  from  the  study  of  our  planetary  system,  but  particularly 
from  the  earth  ;  although  in  addition  to  this  something  must 
be  said  of  the  relations,  analogies  and  differences  between 
the  earth  and  the  celestial  bodies,  more  especially  with  the 
sun  and  moon.  We  will  commence  with  the  earth,  which 
we  will  consider  only  in  its  totality. 

Among  the  Greek  sages  we  see  the  idea  of  the  rotundity 
of  the  earth  already  indicated,  contrary  to  the  irreflexive 
belief  of  almost  all  humanity  up  to  the  sixteenth  century. 
But  no  practical  demonstration  was  made  until  the  modern 
age,  when  Magellan  (in  1520)  sailed  from  Europe  to  Asia 
and  back  again  by  doubling  the  South  American  promontory. 
It  is  well  known  to-day  that  the  earth  is  an  oblate  sphetbid, 


V  ', 


no 


COSMOLOGY. 


whose  equatonal  radius  is  6,377,398  metres,  and  whose  polar 

of  the  !  'h:' •'  T""  '""''  '"  "'  '''  "^^  ^^"^^-^'-^  d»-"^eter 
of  the  earth  .s  about  8,000  miles  (12,754,786  metres).     The 

density  of  the  earth,  according  to  Aubinson,  is  from  5  to  6 
but    the   average    density   in    the    superficial    layers    of  the 
earth   being  from  2  to  3,  it  has  been  supposed  that  in  the 
mtenor  of  the  earth  there  are  very  heavy  substances.     We 
must  not  forget  that  the  nearer  a  body  is  to  the  centre  of 
U^e  earth  the  weightier  it  is;  therefore  this  condition  must 
be  taken  mto  consideration  in  the  true  relation  of  densities 
at  different  depths.      The  temperature  of  our  planet  is  very 
variable  to   the  depth   of  twenty-seven  metres;   but  beyond 
hat  It  can  be  said  that  there  is  constantly  a  fixed  temperature 
he  them.ometer  always  registering  nearly   „o  ; 

twenty-eight  metres,  the  temperature  increasing  in  a  uniform 
progression  of  one  degree  for  every  thirty  metres  of  descent  • 
while,  on  the  contrary,  the  higher  we  ascend  over  the  surface' 
of  the  earth  the  lower  the  temperature  becomes 

In  order  to  simplify   the  description  of  our  planet,  it   is 
convenient   to    divide  it   into   three  parts-the   surface,   the 
exterior  or  atmosphere,  and  the  interior.     These  we  may  call 
m  correlation  mesogeos,  exogeos,  and  endogeos.     Mesogeos 
IS  the  irregular  surface  of  our  planet,  and  in  its  study  we  only 
indicate  the  principal  points  concerning  the  distribution  of  land 
and  water.      The   highest  points  of  the    earth's  surface  are 
generally  less  populous  in  living  beings  than  the  middle  heights 
and  the  most  depressed  parts  are  covered  with  water,  in  which 
pullulates  animal  life  in  particular.     At  first  sight  there  seems 
a  great  disproportion  between  animal  and   vegetable  life   in 
these  three  regions,  which  naturally  serves   to  unbalance  or 
perturb  cosmic  functions. 
We   should  pass  far  beyond  the  limits  of  this  work  \{  we 


DESCRIPTIVE  COSMOLOGY:   COSMOGRAPHY.        ill 


were  to  explain  here  the  concrete  terms  referring  to  the 
different  objective  forms  of  our  planet,  as  seas  and  continents, 
mountains  and  valleys,  etc.,  so  we  shall  restrict  ourselves  to 
the  data  needed  for  our  abstract  inferences.  We  must  first 
notice  the  vast  extent  of  water  on  the  earth's  surface,  and 
its  irregular  distribution  in  relation  to  dry  land.  It  may 
be  said  that  the  greater  part  of  the  earth  is  covered  with 
water — about  eight  parts  water  and  three  parts  land — that 
is,  almost  three  times  as  much  water  as  land.  The  dry  land 
principally  occupies  two  opposite  sides  of  the  planet,  form- 
ing in  one  part  what  we  call  the  Old  World,  or  Eurasia 
and  Africa,  and  in  the  other  the  New  World,  or  America 
(North  and  South).  There  are  other  portions  of  dry  land 
less  vast,  which  are  called  islands,  and  which  in  many 
cases  form  archipelagoes,  the  most  important  of  which  is 
Oceania. 

The  distribution  of  land  and  water  is  very  irregular,  water 
preponderating  in  the  southern  and  land  in  the  northern 
hemisphere  in  the  proportion  of  three  to  one.  It  is  also 
worthy  of  notice  that  the  depth  of  the  sea  is  greater  than  the 
height  of  the  mountains — a  fact  which  still  further  increases 
the  proportion  of  the  surface  of  the  earth  which  is  covered 
with  water.  The  uppermost  layer  of  the  earth  is  generally 
"  made  ground,"  that  is,  a  thin  layer  of  soil  ordinarily  modified 
by  the  artifices  of  human  necessities;  but  beneath  this  is 
what  is  called  subsoil,  which  is  very  commonly  exposed  to 
view  by  the  denudation  of  waters  and  by  artificial  construc- 
tions, and  is  seen  by  comparison  to  be  of  many  different 
kinds,  as  calcareous  rocks,  sand,  chalk,  clay,  etc.  Soil  and 
subsoil  may  be  classified  as  sedimentary  and  crystalline ;  the 
sedimentary  is  of  aquatic  origin,  formed  by  the  precipitation 
of  dissolved  substances,   and   the   crystalline   is  supposed  to 


112 


COSMOLOGY, 


have  an  igneous  origin.      The  state  of  each  in  particular  i, 
the  object  of  the  concrete  science  of  Mineralogy 

consZe7:;T''"'  '^  "  g^-^^-ture,  l^ing  principally 
one.     It  also   mcludes  in   its  composition   aqueous  vapour 
carbon,  ac.d,  and  a  multitude  of  microscopic  corpuscles  o  gan"c 
and  morga„,c.     This  mixture,  moreover,  besides  ling  comple 
.3  very  variable   in   the  proportion   of  the   mixed   elemem,' 
accordmg  as   it   is  day   or  night,  and  according  to  seaso 
cmperature,  winds,  height,  etc.     Air  is  nearly  eight  hundred 
fmes   hghter  than   water;  nevertheless    the  Influence   of    ts 
we,ght   over  other   bodies   is  a  matter  of  great  importanc 
^cause  its  height  (not  yet  precisely  determined)  is  Z^Zl. 

the  earth   wh>ch,   measured   by  the   mercurial   barometer    is 
equal  to  a  column  of  76  centimetres,  with  slight  variations  of 
some  m.ll,metres.     The  knowledge  of  the  succession  of  mo^e 
or  less  regular  barometrical  variations,  as  well  as  of  the  move- 
ments of  atmospheric  translation  (winds),  does  not  belong  to 
cosmography,  because  it  presupposes  evolution  in   time  and 
explanafons  of  the  reasons  of  such  changes-cosmogeny. 
We  know  that  the  material  of  which  the  earth  is  composed 

shows  m  a  succession  one  above  the  other.     To  enter  into 
detaUs  of  endogeos  about  the  structure  of  these  Ci  t 
mvade  the  province  of  a  branch  of  Mineralogy  called  Geology, 
wh,ch  ,s  a  concrete  science.     The  only  important  fact  we  neTd 
treat  of  here  .s  that  deduced  from  an  indication  already  refer^d 
o  about  subterranean  temperature,_a„d  that  is.  that   if  the 
temperature  increases  regularly  in  relation  to  the  depth   or 
distance  from  the  surface,  it  is  clear  that  at  the  depth  of  one 
hundred  kilometres  (equal  to  the  height  of  the  atmosphere)  I 


DESCRIPTIVE  COSMOLOGY :   COSMOGRAPHY.        113 

heat  must  be  sufficient  to  melt  all  rocks,  and  therefore  the 
greater  part  of  the  interior  of  our  planet  is  in  a  state  of  fusion, 
the  solid  crust  being  relatively  very  thin.  In  the  constitution 
of  Cosmos  the  earth  is  no  more  than  a  planet  of  secondary 
magnitude ;  let  us  now  examine  its  principal  relations  to  the 
celestial  bodies,  especially  to  the  sun  and  moon,  as  the  sun  is 
in  the  focus  of  the  ellipse  described  by  the  earth  in  its  orbit  and 
annual  revolution,  and  the  moon  is  a  satellite  which  revolves 
round  the  earth.  Both  by  their  reflexion  greatly  influence 
the  changes  of  our  planet,  principally  in  the  terrestrial  fluids, 
air  and  water,  and  above  all  more  directly  on  the  meta-fluid  or 
progene  existing  in  porocules  or  the  interstices  of  bodies.  We 
have  already  indicated,  and  we  will  clearly  state  in  the  next 
chapter,  that  we  must  not  consider  the  sun  as  the  prime  motor 
in  the  production  of  the  terrestrial  phenomena. 

The  idea  we  form  of  the  sun  by  irreflexive  observation 
is  very  deceitful.  When  viewed  through  a  coloured  glass 
it  appears  like  a  white  disc  perfectly  circular,  whose  diameter 
does  not  seem  greater  than  fifty  centimetres,  and  whose  surface 
appears  perfectly  homogeneous ;  and  furthermore  the  solar 
disc  seems  to  move  from  west  to  east,  following  a  curve  whose 
centre  is  the  point  on  which  the  observer  stands,  and  whose 
extremes  touch  the  visible  horizon. 

We  know  that  the  more  distant  an  object  is  the  smaller 
it  appears.  Thus,  calculating  the  distance  of  the  sun  from 
the  earth  as  about  ninety  millions  of  miles  in  round  numbers, 
the  true  diameter  of  the  sun  is  inferred  to  be  more  than  one 
hundred  times  greater  than  that  of  the  earth ;  the  difference 
between  the  diameter  of  the  sun  and  its  distance  from  the 
earth  being  almost  in  the  same  ratio,  i  :  100.  To  form  some 
comparative  idea  of  these  relations  of  size  and  distance,  let 
us  imagine  a  sphere  of  one  metre  in  diameter,  at  a  distance 

8 


114 


COSMOLOGY, 


of  one  hundred  metres,  to  represent  the  sun,  and  a  little  ball, 
one  centimetre  in  diameter,  to  represent  the  size  of  the  earth 
and  its  relative  position  to  the  sun.  Accordingly  more  than  a 
million  balls  like  the  earth  would  be  necessary  to  make  a  sphere 
like  the  sun.  But  perhaps  we  can  acquire  a  clearer  idea  of 
the  extraordinary  dimensions  and  distances  referred  to  by  the 
following  calculations.  A  ball  shot  from  a  cannon,  moving 
uniformly  with  its  ordinary  velocity,  would  take  about  thirteen 
years  to  reach  the  sun;  and  if  we  suppose  the  ball  diametrically 
crossing  the  sun,  it  would  take  more  than  a  month  in  passing 
to  the  other  side,  while  it  would  need  only  about  seven  hours 
in  crossing  the  earth's  diameter.  We  can  further  acquire 
some  idea  of  the  distance  of  the  earth  from  the  sun  when 
we  consider  that  a  train  running  at  the  rate  of  thirty  miles  an 
hour  would  take  about  350  years  to  accomplish  the  distance. 

Telescopic  observation  reveals  a  fact  worthy  of  mention. 
The  sun  has  spots,  which  appear  and  disappear  every  fourteen 
days,  reappearing  on  the  eastern  edge  of  the  disc  about  fifteen 
days  after  disappearing  from  its  western  edge.  This  regular 
movement  of  the  spots  shows  us  that  the  sun  is  in  rotation,  and 
that  this  rotation  must  be  accomplished  in  about  twenty-six  days. 
From  this  we  infer,  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of  our 
Physiological  Theory,  that  the  sun  needs  a  continent  with  living 
matter  in  order  to  produce  such  a  rotation ;  but  comparing  it 
with  the  earth,  we  must  suppose  that  the  ratio  marking  the 
difference  between  land  and  water  in  the  sun  is  much  greater 
than  that  of  the  earth,  and  we  must  deduce  from  this  that  the 
great  reflecting  power  of  the  sun  is  owing  to  the  extraordinary 
extent  of  surface  covered  with  water.  We  must  also  explain  the 
lack  of  orbital  movement  in  the  sun  by  the  fact  that  the  propor- 
tion of  its  surface  on  which  vegetation  can  exist  being  relatively 
small,  the  force  of  propulsion  emanating  from  it  is  not  sufficient 


DESCRIPTIVE  COSMOLOGY:  COSMOGRAPHY,         115 

to  counteract  the  resistance  of  the  solar  atmosphere,  and  so 
only  a  rotary  movement  results. 

The  moon,  like  the  sun,  produces  many  deceitful  appearances, 
among  which  the  most  surprising  are  the  different  forms  it 
presents  during  its  successive  stages;  and  we  see  that  every 
29 1  days  the  same  phases  are  repeated.  Nevertheless  it  is 
demonstrated  that  the  moon  is  an  entirely  round  or  regular 
sphere,  and  that  such  phases  depend  on  the  greater  or  less 
surface  which  reflects  the  sunlight.  Its  distance  from  the 
earth  is,  in  round  numbers,  something  more  than  300,000  miles 
(about  380,000  kilometres) — that  is,  about  three  hundred  times 
nearer  than  the  sun,  and  therefore  a  distance  almost  equal  to 
the  third  part  of  the  solar  diameter.  Accordingly  the  space 
between  the  earth  and  the  moon  is  only  sufficient  to  accom 
modate  a  body  twenty-seven  times  smaller  than  the  sun.  The 
diameter  of  the  moon  is  almost  one-fourth  (^)  that  of  the 
earth,  and  its  size  is  forty  times  less.  The  received  opinion  of 
most  authors  is  that  the  moon  has  no  atmosphere  and  lacks 
water,  and  consequently  cannot  contain  living  beings;  but  from 
the  general  principles  laid  down  in  this  Physiological  Theory, 
we  infer  that  the  moon  in  order  to  accomplish  its  orbital  and 
rotary  movements  requires  life,  as  does  our  own  planet.  It  is 
not  possible  to  determine  the  forms  of  living  matter,  but 
we  have  sufficient  reason  to  affirm  its  existence. 

Analogies  exist  between  all  the  other  heavenly  bodies  and 
the  sun,  the  earth  or  the  moon,  but  their  study  is  particular 
or  concrete.  We  only  need  to  know  as  a  general  fact  that 
the  differences  among  all  of  them  are  not  absolute,  and  the 
transitions  are  graduated  in  such  a  manner  that,  relying  on  the 
late  spectroscopic  observations,  we  can  proclaim  the  analogy 
of  the  constituent  material  without  any  other  difference  than 
in  the  proportions  of  its  components,  and  thus  can  add  that 


in  all  the  Universe  perfect  harmony  reigns  in  the  descriptive 
relations— those  of  space,  as  well  as  in  the  genesic— those  of 
time.  This  point,  Cosmic  Involution,  will  be  elucidated  in 
the  next  chapters. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

PRINCIPLES   OF   GENESIC   COSMOLOGY:    COSMOGENV. 

(A.  General  concept  of  Cosmic  involution.) 

Physiology   presupposes  attributive   identity  (only  one  sub- 
stance  in  activity  or  movement),  the  differences  being  due 
only  to  relative  changes  of  space  or  of  time,  or  else  of  both. 
The  only  possible  knowledge  of  nature  depends  on  the  con- 
dition that  all  change  is  a  transformation.      Matter  changes 
by  the  union  or  separation  of  parts,  but  through  all  these 
transformations  we  must  suppose  that  material  substance  is 
always  identical;   and  we  may  say   the   same   in   regard   to 
movement,  which  may  be  distributed  in  greater  or  smaller 
masses,  in  a  form  either  manifested  or  latent;  but  material 
activity  is  always  movement.     Thus  the  Great  Architect,  with 
His  true  purposes  of  goodness,  beauty  and  harmony,  directs 
organic  constructions,  engenders  in  them  disposable  energy 
and  phenomenal   movements,  governs  the  course  of  cosmic 
material,  but  without  changing  the  total  quantity  of  mass  in 
movement-  that  is,  without  ever  newly  creating  or  annihilating. 
He  only  engenders  relative  metamorphoses  in  the  redistribu- 
tion of  the  same  quantity  of  mass  in  movement.     The  concept 
of  conservation  of  energy  or  movement  is  entirely  different 
from  the  continuation  of  the  actual  state  of  the  things  in  the 
Universe  :    the  former  expresses  a  fact  derived  from  the  true 


GENESIC  COSMOLOGY:  COSMOGENV. 


117 


creation,  while  phenomenal  activity  is  constandy  engendered 
by  the  transformation  of  potential  energy  in  organisms  under 
the  direction  of  the  Primordial  Motor.     The  work  directed  by 
the  Creator  not  only  preserves  the  quantity  of  mass  in  move- 
ment in  its  mechanical  relations,  but  the  persistence  of  the 
Supreme  purpose  in  the  good  and  beauty  of  its  execution  is 
denoted  by  the  uniformity  of  nature.     This  ultimate  postulate 
is  presupposed  before  any  calculation  or  determination  of  the 
quantitative  relations  are  made;    it  is  directly  induced  from 
the  qualities  or  subjective  differences,  and  for  this  reason  we 
may  say  that  the  postulate  Uniformity  of  Nature  is  the  funda- 
mental principle  of  attributive  abstractions,  while  the  principle 
of  Conservation  of  Energy  is  the  fundamental   law  for  the 
relations  or  objective  differences.     Accordingly  the  true  idea 
of  conservation  or  persistency  in  universal  mechanism  pre- 
supposes that  the  partial  forms  of  the  enunciation  of  that 
principle  are   erroneous,   so  that  we  must  not  say  there   is 
conservation  or  indestructibility  of  mass  in  the  world  because 
the  quantity  of  mass  is  variable ;  neither  can  we  affirm  the 
conservation  or  indestructibility  of  abstract  movement  because 
the  quantity  of  existing  force,  considering  this  separately  from 
mass,  is   not  always   the  same,  but  varies  like  any  partial 

relation. 

Without  the  evidence  of  the  principle  of  successive  con- 
tinuity and  uniformity  in  nature  between  antecedents  and 
consequents  Science  could  not  infer  its  great  prognostications : 
it  could  not  determine  by  the  present  state  of  things  either  the 
past  or  the  future,  as  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  our  scientific 
calculations  would  fail  if  there  could  actually  be  new  creation 
or  annihilation  in  the  factors  of  Mechanism.  But  it  is  im- 
possible that  the  regularity  of  the  established  and  necessary 
order  in  Cosmos  should  fail,  because,  the  work  of  the  Almighty 


ii8 


COSMOLOGY. 


being  true,  good  and  beautiful  in  absolute,  it  could  not  be 
otherwise  than  as  it  is. 

In  the  comprehensive  theory  of  Cosmos  we  omit  the  inter- 
vention  of  any  agent  acting  as  causing  force,  as  we  have  done 
in  the  theory  of  Analytical  Physiology ;  and  in  Biology  also 
we  deny  the  intervention  of  any  special  force  in  life.     In  this 
manner  we  dethrone  the  gods  of  the  scientific  Olympus,  and 
admit  only  the  One  of  the  most  elevated  rank-the  Directing 
Power  of  Vitality,  which  cannot  be  other  than  the  Creator 
Force    must    never    be    considered   as  an   abstraction   from 
objective   things;    mechanical  force  is  not  an  absolute  and 
primordial  cause  of  Nature,  but  simply  a  measure,  and  there- 
.ore  It  is  a  relative  determination  of  quantity,  an  effect  which 
becomes  at  the  same  time  the  proximate  cause  of  manifested 
actions,  so  that  it   \s  a  secondary   cause   in  the   successive 
changes  of  Nature.     Force  expresses  the  determination  of  the 
quantity  of  movement  propagated  in  a  physiological  change 
or  in  the  changes  of  a  partial  system,  as  occurs  in  the  synthesis 
of  life.     If  we  conceive  force  in  a  metaphysical  as  well  as  in 
a  mechanical  sense,  it  would  l>ecome  an  equivocal  term    re- 
presenting then,  in   the   metaphysical  signification,  the  True 
Cause,  the  Primordial  or   Engendering   Potence  of  Vitality  • 
because,  if  we  prefix  to  the  word  force  the  adjective  primordial' 
we  indicate   what  the   Divinity   does   in   Cosmos   instead  of 
the  effected  potence  and  phenomena. 

All  phenomena  are  mechanical  in  the  true  sense  of  this 
word,  as  they  are  always  the  effect  of  some  change  of  matter 
in  movement,  therefore  it  is  erroneous  to  admit  the  abstract 
conception  of  mechanism  as  an  independent  reality  all 
phenomena  take  place  within  the  universal  organism,  in  which 
any  mechanical  motion  or  effect  of  movement  cannot  be 
separately  conceived,  but  can  be  conceived  only  as  a  mental  or 


INVOLUTION  OF  COSMOS. 


119 


verbal  abstraction  without  an  existence  independent  from  the 
bodies,  like  colour  or  any  other  so-called  property. 

All  phenomena,  compared  according  to  the  standard  of 
discrete  quantity,  are  quantivalent  in  their  mutations,  so  that 
all  natural  changes  (molar  and  physico-chemical)  are  sub- 
ordinate to  the  rational  principles  of  quantity,  as  the  so-called 
laws  of  Mechanism  are  nothing  more  than  corollaries  derived 
from  the  universal  principle  of  conservation.  In  any  functional 
transference  or  propagation  of  vitality,  as  in  any  other  physio- 
logical change,  we  must  admit  the  principle  of  mechanical 
quantivalence— that  is,  a  proportional  interchange  in  the 
energy  of  antecedents  and  consequents.  Therefore  in  organ- 
ism, as  well  as  in  inorganic  machines,  there  is  always  a  direct 
relation  between  the  molar  work  produced  and  the  heat 
expended;  this  in  turn  must  be  in  direct  relation  with  the 
chemical  movements  which  produce  it,  and  these  reactions 
must  be  proportional  to  the  progenic  currents  which  change 
the  position  of  the  molecules. 

If  Mechanics  were  well  known  in  its  most  comprehensive  or 
etymological  signification,  it  would  be  the  science  which  would 
interpret  the  genesis  of  natural  phenomena,  and  would  embrace 
the  study  and  explanation  of  all  material  mutations  in  Cosmos, 
determining  the  force  of  every  change,  which,  in  corpuscular 
matter,  is  equal  to  the  product  of  the  mass  and  half  the  square 
of  the  velocity.  The  physical,  chemical  and  biological  theories, 
now  widely  disseminated  under  contradictory  principles,  must 
be  thus  unified. 

All  material  changes,  whether  manifested  or  not,  though 
multiple  in  the  sensual  appearance,  always  arise  from  matter 
in  movement.  Hence,  we  repeat,  all  mechanical  force  must 
always  be  supposed  as  a  concrete  measure  comprehending  the 
two  factors  of  all  movement,  mass  and  velocity ;  we  must  never 


120 


COSMOLOGY, 


suppose  the  ideal  existence  of  abstract  forces  without  dimen- 
sions moving  across  empty  space,  neither  must  we  admit  them 
to  explain  the  functions  of  organism. 

Cosmic  and  biological  syntheses,  in  as  far  as  we  can  know 
them,  are  under  the  control  of  Mathematics.     A  true  inquiry 
into  Nature  and  the  proof  of  physiological  truths  have  for  a 
base  the  facts  of  extrinsic  experience,  from  which  our  reason 
calculates  the  relations  which  must  serve  us  to  develop  the 
Physiological    Theory.      Mechanical    theorems    are    the   real 
guide  of  physiological  science ;  the  principle  of  conservation 
IS  common  to  physical  and  chemical  changes,  to  acts  of  vitality 
and  to  astronomic  movements ;  the  calculation  of  the  move- 
ments of  visible  bodies  (Molar  Mechanics)  must  be  applied  to 
the  invisible  particles  called  molecules  (Molecular  Mechanics) 
and  to  progene  (Progenic  Mechanics). 

^^'hen  we  question  the  material    worid,  whatever   its   state 
may  be,  the  determination  of  quantity  by  calculation  {i.e   by 
the  infallible  law  of  number)  is  a  help  of  undoubted  exactitude 
But  unfortunately  we  cannot  numerically  determine  phenomena 
m  all  cases ;    science  has  scarcely  passed  from  the  analytic 
acquisitions  of  irreflexive  experience,  qualities  for  this  reason 
being  yet  erroneously  considered  as  objective  properties.     In 
actuality,  much  imperfection  of  true  scientific  knowledge  yet 
prevails ;  nevertheless  it  does  not  weaken  the  base  on  which 
the  principle  of  conservation  rests,  because,  our  intelligence 
penetrating  more  deeply  than  our   senses,  foresees  the  true 
analogy,  where  sensations  show  us  what  falsely  appear  to  be 
essential  differences.     Although  up  to  the  present  time  science 
has  not  been  able  to  prove  numerically  all  physiological  facts 
we  have  arrived  at  an  ultimate  principle  which  comprehends 
them  all,   both  known  and  unknown :    that  is,  though  much 
remains  to   be  discovered,  we   have   sufficient   knowledge  to 


INVOLUTION  OF  COSMOS. 


121 


declare  that  all  the  laws  of  the  science  of  Nature  are  compre- 
hended in  the  principle  of  proportional  interchange  (quanti- 
valence),  which  is  synonymous  with  the  principle  of  persistency 
or  conservation.  For  this  reason,  after  numerous  observations, 
we  have  convinced  ourselves  that  all  future  discoveries  will  be 
subordinate  to  the  universal  principle  of  conservation  and  in 
accordance  with  the  ultimate  postulate  of  uniformity;  hence 
the  true  progress  of  the  Physiological  Theory  consists  in 
explaining  the  derivation  of  all  empirical  laws  actually  pro- 
claimed in  Physics,  Chemistry,  Cosmology,  and  Biology,  by 
the  conservation  of  energy  in  Cosmic  Mechanism. 

In  the  Physiological  Theory  we  must  not  confound  the 
evident  principle  of  conservation  of  energy  with  the  erroneous 
supposition  of  continuity  in  transformism,  as  this  doctrine 
employs  the  word  conservation  in  such  an  ample  sense  that  it 
completely  lacks  a  fixed  signification.  Furthermore,  trans- 
formists  include  in  *'  continuity "  the  reason  of  its  antithesis, 
"  variation,"  although  they  pretend  to  disguise  the  opposition  or 
contradiction  of  terms  with  the  adjective  "  infinitesimal,"  and 
then  qualify  as  continuous  the  variations  they  call  infinitesimal. 
The  Physiological  Theory  resolves  this  problem  without  the 
intervention  of  moving  forces  in  Nature,  and  without  appealing 
to  such  a  fallacy  as  that  of  transformism :  in  fine,  it  settles  that 
Cosmos  does  not  follow  the  phases  of  transformistic  evolution, 
hut  is  in  a  true  involution. 


122 


COSMOLOGY. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 
cosMOGENY  ,(continued). 
(B,  Circulation  of progene :  reparation  of  living  force  in  Cosmos.) 
Among  the  questions  which  have  been  the  subject  of  greatest 
controversy,  the  most  important  is  how  to  explain  the  repara- 
tion of  the  living  force  which  is  constantly  dissipated  in  the 
world. 

We  have    already    demonstrated   the    error    of   admitting 
abstract   or    causing    forces   in   matter,  as  well    as    inherent 
properties  like  elasticity  and  movement.     The   Universe  left 
to  the  sole  action   of  mechanical  energy   has   the   tendency 
to    relative    repose,    and    in    this   state   there  could   be   no 
manifested  change,  because  progene  would  soon  be  reduced 
to  uniform  oscillation,  which  is  latent  of  course ;   therefore, 
from    such  a   condition    any    other    consequent    cannot    b^ 
derived   than   the    perfect   stable   equilibrium   of  all   bodies. 
Such  loss  of  actual  force,  with  the  tendency  to  relative  repose, 
is  well  and  clearly  seen  in  all  visible  or   molar   movement,' 
and  also  in  the  partial  movements  from  which  molecular  pheno- 
mena, as  thermo-physic  and  therm  o-chemic  changes,   arise. 
We  can  most  palpably  appreciate  the  dissipation  of  manifested 
action  in  the  collision  of  inelastic  bodies,  and  in  fire  when 
the  combustion  is  complete  ;  but  all  phenomena  would  cease 
if  the  initial  impulse,  which  is  the  power  of  redistribution  in 
organism,   should  not   constantly   repair  the   living   force,  so 
keeping  Cosmos  in  uniform  reaction. 


REPARATION  OF  LIVING  FORCE. 


123 


No  phenomena  can  occur  in  Cosmos  without  some  change 
of  matter  in  movement ;  progene  is  the  medium  in  the  organic 
as  well  as  in  the  inorganic  world  by  which  propagations  and 
transferences  of  movement  at  a  distance  are  made,  and  also 
for  determining  the  phenomena  or  manifested  operations 
and  the  potential  or  latent  changes  produced  by  invisible 
movements.  Let,  us  then,  give  a  summary  idea  of  progenic 
circulation,  as  this  is  the  cosmic  medium  used  by  vitality  to 
effect  the  actual  changes  in  all  matter,  in  the  inorganic  as  well 
as  in  the  organic  world,  constantly  transferring  matter  from 
one  to  the  other,  and  so  producing  the  incessant  whirlpool 
of  cosmic  material  change. 

In  order  to  understand  this  point  thoroughly,  we  first  call 
attention  to  the  periodicity  of  cosmic  changes,  whose  proximate 
cause  is  vital  action  and  reaction,  and  whose  primordial  cause 
is  therefore  the  Creator.  In  fact,  it  comes  within  the  province 
of  Biology  to  treat  of  the  problem  of  the  periodicity  of  vital 
acts,  and  principally  of  diurnal  and  annual  alternating  differ- 
ences, because  such  a  periodicity  depends  on  a  general  condition 
of  organism  as  a  proximate  cause,  and  it  is  manifested  in 
animal  as  well  as  in  vegetable  life,  although  it  is  more 
noticeable  in  vegetation.  But  the  results  of  such  periodicity 
are  functions  of  the  total  Cosmos,  and  for  this  reason  it  must 
be  treated  of  here. 

Intrinsic  and  extrinsic  interactions  of  living  bodies,  although 
continuous  and  therefore  simultaneous,  are  variable  in  quantity, 
alternating  in  periodicity  in  their  increase  and  diminution  in 
such  a  manner,  that  when  the  intrinsic  increase  the  extrinsic 
decrease,  and  the  reverse,  so  being  always  reciprocal.  Such 
variations  are  recognised  in  vegetable  life  by  the  differences 
between  absorption  and  elimination  of  matter  during  the  day 
and  night,  and  in  aninf\al  life,  especially  in  the  superior  scale. 


124 


COSMOLOGY. 


by  the  difference  during  their  waking  and  sleeping  hours. 
Here,  in  spite  of  their  reciprocity,  there  is  a  coincidence 
between  them :  the  greater  part  of  the  animal  as  well  as  of 
the  vegetable  kingdom  have  their  intrinsic  activity  in  molecular 
changes  of  oxidation  greatly  exaggerated  during  the  night, 
while  the  extrinsic  is  more  exaggerated  during  the  day' 
in  fact,  almost  all  living  bodies  absorb  more  oxygen  and 
eliminate  more  carbonic  acid  during  the  night  than  during 
the  day. 

All  changes  manifested  in  Nature  proceed  from  the  move- 
ment of  collocation  or  redistribution  of  matter  in  organism, 
which  constantly  produces  the  transference  of  latent  oscillation 
of  progene  into  translatory  movement  in  order  to  produce  the 
chemical    metamorphoses    necessary    for    the    multiplication 
and  growth   of  organic  structures.     This   determines   in   the 
Universe  a  constant  current  of  progene,  which  sets  ponderable 
matter  in  movement,  so  as  to  produce   manifested   changes 
in    those   parts   which  are  in  a  latent    state   or  in   relative 
repose,   the   loss   of  living   force   in   the   world    being    thus 
compensated.     This   compensation    in    phenomenal   Cosmos 
has  been  explained  up  to  the  present  date  by  the  myths  of 
a  scientific  polytheism  which  admits  plurality  of  abstract  or 
causing  forces  in  Cosmos.* 

Sunshine  or  photothermic  irradiation  is  only  the  occasional 
cause  acting  as  a  stimulus  and  means  for  the  growth  of  green 
vegetation,  which  absorbs  and  appropriates  the  sun*s  rays 
(progene)  by  the  action  of  the  chlorophyll,  the  progene  serving 
as  a  means  of  transporting  the  molecules  into  the  arrangements 
required  by  the  organic  structures.  A  biological  reaction  is 
the  same  as  any  other  chemical  combination  in   which   the 

•  We  call  liring  force  the  phenomenal  or  actual  energy,  excluding  the 
latent  or  potential,  which  is  not  manifest  to  the  senses, 


REPARATION  OF  LIVING  FORCE. 


I2< 


molecules  must  be  moved  by  progenic  currents,  although  in 
organic  collocation  (vegetable  and  animal  cellules)  such 
currents  are  necessarily  under  the  direct  government  of  the 
Almighty,  who  is  the  only  and  true  Vital  Principle. 

Progene  is  accumulated  in  all  organic  corpuscles  by  a 
chemical  operation  called  reduction.  The  more  complex 
living  matter  becomes,  the  more  progene  it  contains ;  and  when 
organic  matter  is  decomposed  by  the  chemical  operation  called 
oxidation  (which  is  contrary  to  reduction),  the  progene  is  freed, 
and  produces  in  this  change  either  progenic  propagations 
(sound  and  light),  or  molecular  transferences  (changes  of  tem- 
perature and  of  physical  state),  or  else  it  may  produce  visible 
or  molar  movements,  of  which  further  mention  will  be  made. 
In  this  manner  vitality  puts  in  action  the  mechanical  force 
which  can  be  determined  by  the  various  forms  of  movement 
—progenic,  molecular,  and  molar.  This  point  is  worthy  of 
further  consideration. 

Organic  phenomena  or  acts  of  vitality,  which  are  simply 
called  functions  in  Physiology,  need  for  their  production  some 
previous  change  in  progene,  by  the  increase  or  decrease  of 
its  oscillatory  movement  and  the  transference  of  this  into 
translatory— thus  disturbing  organism  by  an  unequal  distri- 
bution of  progene,  which  is  condensed  at  some  points  and 
rarefied  at  others.  As  a  natural  consequence  of  this  disturb- 
ance in  the  equilibrium,  currents  of  progene  are  produced  in 
the  moment  when  there  is  free  contact  or  possible  communica- 
tion between  the  condensed  and  rarefied  points.  These 
currents  carry  the  molecules  with  them,  and  combine  them 
so  as  to  form  the  immediate  principles,  mixing  these  among 
themselves  in  order  to  construct  organic  forms.  The  first 
result  of  such  a  chemical  process  is  a  great  condensation  of 
progene  in  the  cellules,  principally  in  those  which,  containing 


126 


ff 


COSMOLOGY. 


Chlorophyll,  are  capable  of  absorbing  the  progene  of  the  sola^ 
rays.     The  vegetable  world  above  all  is  engaged  in  forming 
the  immediate  principles-accumulating  progene  and  ponder- 
able matter  in  highly  complex  combinations.     Owing  to  its 
course,  progene  drives  the  molecules  as  well  as  the  masses  of 
ponderable  matter  to  determine  their  cohesion  and  translatory 
movements,  when  these  are  the  effect  of  an  invisible  propul- 
sion.    So  also  a  current  of  progene  is  produced  which  flows 
towards  green  vegetation  ;  and  in  this  movement  the  progenic 
parcels  collide,  so  increasing  the  energy  of  their  oscillations, 
which  must  control  the  resistance  of  the  molecules  and  move 
them  m  order  to  determine  the  thermic  and  chemic  changes  of 
hving  matter,  called  altogether  trophic  or  nutritive  functions. 

Chemical  metamorphoses  are  of  two  classes-one  of  com- 
bination, the  other  of  decomposition.  The  decomposition  of 
an  organic  structure  determines  the  contrary  of  that  which 
occurs  in  its  formation,  freeing  the  progene  before  condensed  • 
and  so  all  kinds  of  transference  can  take  place,  of  which  the' 
following  are  worthy  of  mention  :-(i)  Production  of  heat 
(by  a  mechanism  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  repeat  here)  • 

(2)  Production   of  light,   when  progene  escapes  in  a  diffuse' 
manner  and  in  such  a  proportion  as  to  impress   the  retina 
and  of  radiating  heat  if  this  change  is  not  manifest  to  the  eye  • 

(3)  Production  of  positive  electricity  if  progene  is  newly  con- 
fined in  a  body  and  in  a  latent  state,  which  can  occur  in 
two  ways  :  in  the  form  of  a  current  (dynamic  electricity),  or  in 
repose  (static  electricity).     In  addition  to  this,  as  progene,  in 
order  to  accumulate  at  some  points,  must  leave  others  rarefied 
It  produces  latent  forces,  which  are  principally  manifested  by 
the    effects   called   magnetic  electricity.      But    the    different 
classes  and  forms  of  movement  being  transferable,  all  forms 
of  phenomena  afterwards  result.     Among   these    the    most 


CIRCULATION^  OF  PROGENE. 


127 


striking  are  molar  movements,  which  in  turn  are  converted 
into  molecular  and  progenic.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  molar 
vibratory  movement  of  bodies  is  the  ordinary  manner  of 
producing  sound ;  but  the  transmission  of  sound,  which  is  the 
chief  characteristic  of  this  phenomenon,  is  produced  by  the 
transference  of  such  vibrations  into  oscillatory  movements  of 
progene. 

In  order  to  understand  more  clearly  the  circulation  of 
progene,  we  may  compare  it  to  the  circulation  of  the  blood, 
and  in  accordance  with  this  parallel  divide  it  into  a  major 
and  minor  circulation ;  the  former  is  the  interstellar  and  the 
latter  the  terrestrial  current.  The  heart  is  represented  by  the 
living  bodies  or  organic  world,  the  great  capillary  net  by  the 
ocean  of  interstellar  progene,  and  the  small  or  pulmonary  net 
by  the  earth  itself.  The  greater  current  of  progene  flows 
towards  the  illuminated  hemisphere  of  the  earth,  and  flows 
from  the  shaded  hemisphere  towards  interstellar  space;  this 
is  the  impulsive  force  of  the  total  movements,  orbital  and 
rotary,  of  our  planet.  The  lesser  circulation  or  smaller 
current  flows  within  and  over  the  surface  of  the  earth,  espe- 
cially from  the  equatorial  regions  towards  the  poles,  where 
there  is  a  great  want  of  progene  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of 
vegetable  in  proportion  to  animal  life.  This  is  the  great 
magnetic  current  which  directs  the  magnetic  needle  to  the 
pole. 

There  are  four  phenomena  in  the  terrestrial  globe  which  are 
effected  by  permanent  movements  of  progene :  such  are  the 
orbital  and  rotatory  movements  of  the  earth,  terrestrial  mag- 
netism, and  gravity.  We  must  explain  more  clearly  the  total 
movements  of  the  earth  by  the  progenic  currents,  which  are 
chiefly  the  effect  of  contrary  reaction  in  vegetation  during  the 
day  and  the  night. 


128 


COSMOLOGY. 


We  have  already  said    that   the   explanation   of  terrestrial 
movements   by  means  of  planetary   forces   is   null,   and   yet 
astronomers  admit  two  planetary  forces,  one  instantaneous  and 
the  other  continuous ;  the  former  they  suppose  to  have  existed 
at  the  moment  when  movement  was  originated  in  the  celestial 
bodies,  and  the  latter  is  what  they  call  universal  attraction. 
It  is  true  that  the  sun  and  moon  have  great  influence  over  the 
movements  of  the  earth  ;  but  this  is  not  the  result  of  attractive 
forces,— it  arises  from  luminous  reflexion,  better  called  photo- 
thermic.     Supposing  the  earth  in   a  determined  position  in 
relation  with  the  sun,  that  half  which  is  illuminated  absorbs 
calories  and  gives  forth  oxygen,  while  that  which  is  shaded 
absorbs  oxygen  and  emits  carbonic  acid  and  calories  (progene). 
Besides,  animal  life  having  a  greater  molecular  change  while 
sleeping— that  is,  emitting  more  carbonic  acid  and  absorbing 
more  oxygen  than  in  waking  hours— contributes  to  increase  the 
effects  of  the  nocturnal  change  of  vegetation.     To  this  action 
nocturnal    animals   do  not,   of  course,    contribute.     In   this 
manner  two  progenic  impulses  are  produced  on  the  surface  of 
the  earth :  one  diurnal,  in  the  direction  of  the  sunlight,  and 
the  other  nocturnal,  in  a  direction   contrary  to   that   of  the 
escaping  progene  in  the  shaded  hemisphere ;  and  according  to 
the  principle  of  Mechanics  the  resultant  of  two  forces  acting 
in  different  directions  is  a  parabolic  movement.     But  besides 
this,  as  the  resultants  of  such  impulses  are  not  in  the  direction 
of  its  orbital  movement,  they  determine  at  the  same  time  the 
diurnal  rotation  of  the   earth.      Of    course,    the   activity   of 
vegetation  has  no  sudden  variations ;  they  are  gradual  in  the 
endothermic  as   well   as   in   the   exothermic  process,   whose 
maximum  of  intensity  must  be  at  noontime  for  the  first  and 
after  midnight  towards  dawn  for  the  second.     Accordingly  the 
night  impulse  may  be  compared  to  the  propulsion  of  powder 


Jf.i*;-, 


CIRCULATION  OF  PROGENE. 


129 


in  the  combustion  of  fireworks  ;  such  an  impulse  acting  alone 
would  drive  the  earth  in  a  closer  curve  towards  the  sun,  but 
the  force  of  photothermic  irradiation  is  an  obstacle  to  such 
approximation,  as  its  direction  is  entirely  contrary  to  that  of 
the  other  force. 

The  result  of  such  a  conflict  is  not  alone  a  planetary  revo- 
lution; the  progene  in  such  progressive  movements  collides 
with  the  corpuscles  of  ponderable  matter,  from  this  interaction 
arising  the  so-called  molecular  forces  of  attraction  (gravity) 
and  repulsion  (thermity),  and  finally  producing  the  force  called 
aflinity  when  chemical  metamorphoses  result  from  the  conflict 
of  such  motions. 

With  this  we  conclude  our  physiological  inquiries,  because 
the  direction  or  government  of  such  progenic  currents,  which 
produce  the  structures  of  organism,  completely  escape  our 
sensual  observation;  it  only  remains  for  us  to  add,  that  by 
means  of  such  organic  collocation  living  matter  manifests 
nearly  twice  the  energy  it  acquires  from  the  cosmic  means, 
so  producing  a  transference  contrary  to  inorganic  machines,  as 
it  converts  latent  energy  into  phenomenal.  This  is  the  true 
interpretation  of  the  law  of  conservation  in  the  actual  state 
of  the  Cosmic  System,  and  the  correct  explanation  of  the 
reparation  of  living  force  in  Cosmos. 


CONCLUSIONS    OF    THIS    PHYSIOLOGICAL 

THEOR  V. 

SUMMARY : 

1st.  The  Object  of  Universal  Physiology  is  to  make  the 
Analysis  and  Synthesis  of  Cosmic  Mechanism,  Unifying 
ALL  the  Theories  of  Physics.  Chemistry,  Biology,  and 
Cosmology. 

2nd.  We  admit  the  Unity  of  Substance  and  Activity  in  Matter, 
BUT  not  Atomic  Unity. 

3rd.  The  Properties  and  Forces  of  Matter,  including  Gravi- 
tation, are  simply  the  Resultants  of  the  Intermotion  of 
Progene  with  Atoms. 

4th.  All  Physiological  Propositions  and  Laws  are  Subordinate 
TO  THE  Principle  of  Conservation— that  is.  all  Physio- 
LOGICAL  Changes  are  Propagations  of  Movement  without 
ANY  New  Creation  or  Annihilation. 

5th.  We  proclaim  Monotheism  in  Sciences,  admitting  the  Causal 
Unity  of  the  Universe,  and  Rejecting  all  Abstract  or 
Causing  Forces  in  Nature. 


1 


m 


m 


FIRST  CONCLUSION, 


133 


CHAPTER    XXV. 


CONCLUSIONS   OF   THIS    PHYSIOLOGICAL   THEORY, 

First  Conclusion. — Our  object  has  been  the  analysis  and 
synthesis  of  Cosmic  Mechanism,  unifying  all  the  theories  of 
Physics,  Chemistry,  Biology  and  Cosmology.  We  have  adopted 
the  title  Universal  Physiology  to  comprehend  the  whole 
abstract  knowledge  of  material  Nature  or  physical  Cosmos. 
This  is  effectually  an  organic  system,  whose  special  analysis 
has  been  divided  in  this  work  into  three  great  departments. 
Molar,  Molecular  and  Progenic  Physics  ;  and  whose  synthesis 
has  been  divided  into  two  departments.  Biology  and  Cosmology, 
according  as  it  is  partial,  referring  to  living  individuals,  or 
total,  referring  to  Nature  as  a  whole. 

All  the  changes  of  Nature  may  be  divided  into  two  groups- 
phenomenal  or  manifested,  and  potential  or  latent.  There  are 
two  kinds  of  phenomenal  changes,  total  and  partial ;  in  the 
former  we  see  the  movements  of  bodies,  while  in  the  latter  the 
movements  are  recognised  only  by  the  intelligence  which 
refers  them  either  to  the  two  constituents  of  bodies,  molecules 
and  progene,  or  to  progene  alone.  From  this  arises  our 
distinction  between  molecular  and  progenic  phenomena,  each 
comprising  two  kinds,  which  with  molar  movements  give  us 
five  kinds  of  natural  phenomena.  Furthermore,  we  have 
already   mentioned  another  kind  of  change,  which  we  have 


'0' 


134  CONCLUSIOXS  OF  THIS  PHYSIOLOGICAL    THEORY. 

denominated  potential,  and  this  gives  us  the  sixth  material 
change,  as  shown  in  the  following  correlative  order : 

1st,     Molar  Phenomena  :  Visible  movements  and  equilibrium  of  bodies. 
2nd,  Thermic        „        :  Changes  of  temperature  and  of  physical  state. 
3rd,    Chemical      „        :  Metamorphosis  in  the  composition  of  bodies. 
4th,    Acoustic        „         :  Oscillatory  movement  of  progene. 
5th,    Optic  „         :  Photothermic  emission  of  progene. 

6th,    Potential  Changes  :  Electricity,  latent  and  radiating  heat. 

In  molar  I  phenomena  the  body  changes  its  place  in  totality 
without  changing  the  relative  disposition  of  its  corpuscular  and 
progenic  constituents;  in  molecular  phenomena  there  is  a 
change  of  place  in  the  minute  corpuscles  of  bodies,  and 
therefore  a  change  in  the  two  corporeal  constituents,  without 
any  total  movement ;  and  in  progenic  phenomena  the  change 
is  in  progene  alone  apart  from  molar  or  molecular  movement. 

The  distinction  in  physiological  changes  between  propaga- 
tions and  transferences  is  relative,  as  in  fact  all  material  change 
consists  simply  infpropagation  of  movement,  and  never  in  a 
true  transference ;  but  the  propagation  may  be  either  homo- 
logous or  heterologous— that  is,  without  or  with  change  in  the 
form  of  movement—and  from  this  arises  our  relative  distinction 
between  simple  propagations  (homologous  changes)  and  trans- 
ferences (heterologous  propagations).     The  most  remarkable 
thing  in  transferences  is  that  the  intermediate  change  is  not 
ordinarily  manifested,  almost  all  taking  place  in  the  organic 
and   inorganic    world    by   means    of   potential    transmission. 
Thus  the  conversion  of  molar  movement  into  heat,  of  this 
into  chemical  action,  of  molecular  phenomena  into  progenic 
changes,  and  vice  versd,  need  the  intermediate  action  of  progene. 
There  can  only  be  a  direct  conversion  when  there  is  a  trans- 
ference of  molecular  change  into  molar  movement,  as  occurs 
in  the  transference  of  heat,  or  of  the  movements  of  physical 


FIRST  AND  SE'COND  CONCLUSIONS. 


135 


State  or  of  chemical  reaction  into  useful  work  or  into  dangerous 
explosion. 

In  a  final  analysis  all  the  changes  of  vitality,  that  is,  all 
functions  of  organic  bodies,  are  reduced  to  the  different  kinds 
of  propagation  of  movement  which  have  been  comprehended 
in  Analytic  Physiology.  We  must  not  forget  that  mental 
activity  must  be  separated  from  the  synthetic  concept  of 
vitality,  in  which  there  is  only  that  which  is  properly  organic. 

Viewed  from  an  etiological  standpoint,  vitality  has  a  very 
important  natural  condition,  as  it  is  the  first  effect  or  immediate 
consequence  of  the  True  Cause  of  mechanical  order  in  the 
Cosmic  System— that  is  to  say,  it  is  the  first  operation  of  the 
sole  causal  law  through  which  the  direct  purpose  or  immediate 
aim  of  the  Creator  is  effected.  But  Biology  circumscribing 
itself  to  the  limits  of  material  nature,  vitality  is  the  object  of 
our  study  only  in  the  succession  of  potential  and  phenomenal 
effects—/.^.,  in  the  functions  of  living  bodies. 

Second  Conclusion.— ^Q  admit  the  unity  of  substance  and 
activity  in  matter,  but  not  atomic  unity.  To  prove  the 
identity  of  matter,  or  substantial  equality  of  all  the  objects 
of  nature,  it  is  sufficient  to  know  that  we  cannot  perceive 
in  them  more  than  differences  in  the  relations  of  space  and 
time,  as  all  sensations  result  from  propagation  of  movement, 
which  can  be  but  of  one  quality.  Qualitative  differences  are 
formed  in  the  mind  from  such  quantitative  changes  ;  they  are 
not  really  objective,  but  subjective;  therefore  progene  (the 
ether  of  the  physicists)  must  be  considered  in  its  natural 
quality  or  essence  as  a  substance  identical  with  ponderable 
matter,  and  all  bodies,  even  those  considered  elemental  in 
Chemistry,  must  also  be  considered  identical  in  their  essential 

quality. 

We  must  not  confound  this  idea  of  material  unity  with  that 


-%^; 


136  CONCLUSJOXS  OF  THIS  PHYSIOLOGICAL   THEORY. 

asserted  by  atomists.     We  cannot  admit  atomic  unity  because, 
among  other  reasons,  the  principles  of  thermo-dynamics  are 
sufficient  proofs  to  convince  us  of  the  error  of  the   atomic 
hypothesis  of  progene,  which  must  necessarily  be  distributed 
into   variable    parcels.      The    atomic    hypothesis    assimilates 
progene  to  the  gaseous  state,  but  this  is  completely  contra- 
dictory  to   fact,    and    insufficient    to    explain   imponderable 
changes.      The  difference   between   progene  and   atoms   lies 
only   in   the   relation   of   condensation,    the  atom   being  an 
invariable    corpuscle    of   almost    twice    the   condensation    of 
progene,   as   the   calculations   of  propagated   energy  lead   us 
to  infer  by  showing   us  a  dissipation   of  46%  of  manifested 
or  living  energy,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  is    a   loss  result- 
ing from  gravitation,   an  effect  of  the  action  of  progene  on 
atoms.     The  condensation  of  matter  in  atoms  must  be  equal 
in   all  bodies,  as   such   a  ratio   is  invariable,  the  differences 
between  atoms  then  being  in  volume,  and  perhaps  in  shape. 
Such    an   idea   of  substantial   unity,   though   undoubtedly   a 
true   one,   according   to  mental   analysis   has   not  a  practical 
confirmation,    for   in    the    laboratory   all    bodies   cannot   be 
reduced  to  one  alone. 

The  realistic  idea  of  chemical  transformism  pretends  to  be 
based  on  the  unity  of  matter ;  but  such  a  hypothesis,  like  all 
those  which  try  to  explain  the  evolution  of  Cosmos,  surpasses 
the  limits  of  positive  knowledge.  We  must  restrict  ourselves 
to  the  possibility  of  physiological  succession,  discovering  always 
and  ievery where  in  nature  effects  alone;  we  can  never  explain 
the  True  Cause  nor  investigate  the  primordial  genesis  of 
Cosmos.  Such  inquiries  belong  to  Metaphysics.  With  this 
restriction  of  Physiology  to  calculate  effects  alone— />.,  to 
establish  the  relative  laws  among  the  objects  of  Nature — we 
will  consider  progene  as  the  first  material  element  of  evolution 


SECOND  AND   THIRD   CONCLUSIONS. 


137 


in  Cosmic  Mechanism.     The  different  forms  of  matter  in  the 
constitution  of  Cosmos  are  shown  in  the  following  table  :— 

I  Imponderable     and    distributed    in    variable 
parcels Progene. 
Ponderable  and  dis-  Tp,  .^    TMolecular        .  Gases, 
tributed  in  invari-J  ^'"'''^  \Hydrocular     .  Liquids, 
able         particles  :  ]  <.  .- ,^  /Asymmetrical .  Amorphic  solids, 
atoms                       l^boiids  |  Symmetrical    .  Crystals. 


Oi^anic 
Matter.' 


Total  or  complete  :  Primordial  form  or  germ 


Partial  or  incomplete  :  Derived  forms 


Ovules. 
/'Blastema. 
Protoplasm. 
Cellules. 
Fibres. 
Tubes. 
Membranes. 


The  progressive  scale  of  evolution  in  matter  is  as  follows  : — 
1st.  Progene  » Imponderable  matter  (ether  of  the  physicists). 
2nd.  Protilo    (helium  ?)  =  Primary  condensation  (perfect 

gsis  ?). 
3rd.  Most  permanent  gases  -  Secondary  condensation. 
4th.  Simple  bodies  that  can  take  a  liquid  form  (many 

elements). 
5th.  Simple  permanent  solids  «  carbon. 


Simple  bodies 
practically 
irreducible. 


Compound 
bodies     re- 
ducible    to 
simple 
bodies. 


6th.  Compounds  without  carbon. 

7th.  Ternary  compounds  of  carbon  =  Hydrocarbonates. 
8th.  Quaternary  compounds  of  carbon  =  Albuminoids. 
9th.  Protoplasm  =  Organic  granular  matter, 
loth.  Ovules  =  Unicellular    organisms  and    germs  of  all 
living  bodies. 


We  cannot  interpret  this  scale  by  the  doctrine  of  infinitesimal 
contmuity— the  fundamental  principle  of  transformism;  we 
must  not  suppose  that  because  matter  leaps  infinitesimally,  or 
changes  gradually  from  one  form  to  another,  such  a  change 
can  be  made  by  matter  alone  without  the   intervention  of  a 

Motor. 

Third  Conclusion,— ThQ  so-called  properties  and  forces  of 
matter,  including  gravitation,  are  simply  the  resultants  of  the 
intermotion  of  progene  with  atoms.  The  ideas  of  the  authors 
about  the  mechanism  of  gravitation,  chemical  combination, 
magnetism,  and  the  other  phenomena  which  they  erroneously 


138  CONCLUSIONS  OF  THIS  PHYSIOLOGICAL    THEORY, 

suppose  as  effects  of  enigmatic  attractions  and  repulsions,  are 
a  contradiction  to  the  true  facts  of  inertia,  and  therefore  to 
the  principle  of  conservation.     Attraction  and  repulsion  denote 
constant  creation  of  mechanical   power,  so  as  to  produce  a 
continuous  source  of  movement ;   but  if  such  a  power  truly 
existed,  the   cosmic  principle   should   be   one  of  generation 
instead  of  conservation,  and  then  matter  would  not  be  inert. 
Material  nature  is  inert  in  living  as  well  as  in   inorganic 
bodies,  it  being  demonstrated  by  the  facts  of  inertia  of  matter 
that  all  objective  activity  is  primarily  or  genesically  produced 
by  an  agent  which  must  exist  apart  from  matter  itself.     Hence, 
the  hypothesis  of  universal  attraction  is  an  irreflexive  idea  of 
imagination-it  is  a  fallacy  of  language ;  and  as  it  represents  an 
impossible  force,  it  is  still  better  to  say  it  is  the  name  of  nothing, 
and  it  is  as  absurd  to  apply  it  in  Chemistry  to  invisible  particles 
as  in  Astronomy  to  great  masses.     It  is  furthermore  unnecessary 
for  Science  to  admit  abstract  or  causing  forces  in  matter,  because 
we  can  explain  all  natural  phenomena  without  admitting  attrac- 
tion among  the  planets,  without  the  molecular  forces  of  cohesion, 
adhesion,  etc.,  without  chemical  affinity,  and  finally,  without  any 
vital  force  outside  the  Generator.     Neither  must  we  admit  any 
property  considered  as  inherent  to  the  material  element,  as 
elasticity,  extension   and   impenetrability,  which   are   relative 
conditions   resulting   from   the    intermotion   of    progene   and 
ponderable  matter  according  to  the  mode  of  molecular  aggre- 
gation of  bodies.      It  is  therefore  erroneous  to  pretend  that 
elasticity  repairs  the  dissipation  of  living  force  in  Cosmos. 

The  hypothesis  of  attraction  must  be  substituted  by  the 
rational  theory  of  continuous  impulsive  movement  which  is 
propagated  by  means  of  progene  from  molecule  to  molecule 
as  well  as  from  star  to  star.  Thus,  in  acts  that  at  first  sight  or 
to  irreflexive  observation  appear  to   be  far  removed  from  a 


THIRD  AND  FOURTH  CONCLUSIONS. 


139 


possible  interpretation,  our  reason  discovers  analogies  with  the 
works  seen  in  the  most  simple  machine. 

We  have  admitted  throughout  Cosmos  the  existence  of  a 
meta-fluid  substance  which  serves  as  a  universal  means,  and 
which  must  be  recognised  as  a  real  object  although  it  is  neither 
tangible  nor  ponderable.  The  existence  of  such  an  impon- 
derable meta-fluid  cannot  be  denied,  because  the  interstellar 
changes  suppose  transmissions  of  movement,  and  empty  space 
cannot  move.  Again,  when  the  minute  particles  of  a  body 
move  in  a  change  of  temperature  or  of  physical  state,  or  in  a 
chemical  metamorphosis,  something  must  impel  the  particles, 
as  they  cannot  move  of  themselves  alone ;  this  something  must 
be  the  substance  we  call  progene,  which  is  necessary  in  the 
world  to  explain  sonorous,  luminous,  thermic  and  electric 
transmissions,  and  so  directly  impresses  the  eye  and  ear. 

Accordingly,  the  reparation  of  living  force  in  the  w^orld  is 
produced  by  organic  generation,  being  directly  subordinate  to 
the  Primordial  Cause  or  Creator.  All  manifested  changes  are 
proximate  or  remote  effects  of  the  generating  power  of  vitality ; 
the  First  Principle  directly  gives  organic  bodies  their  power  of 
collocation  or  redistribution  of  matter  in  the  Universe. 

Fourth  Conclusion. — All  physiological  propositions  and  laws 
are  subordinate  to  the  principle  of  conservation — that  is,  all 
physiological  changes  are  propagations  of  movement  without 
any  new  creation  or  annihilation. 

Molar  Mechanics,  Physics,  Chemistry,  Biology,  and  Cos- 
mology, which  altogether  compose  physiological  knowledge, 
contain  only  relative  propositions  and  laws  whose  predicates 
are  quantitative.  The  attributive  propositions  which  express 
predicates  of  quality  only  give  us  a  knowledge  of  the  mental 
states,  and  not  of  the  material — being  therefore  metaphysical, 
not  physiological. 


^^i 


I40  CONCLUSIONS  OF  THIS  PHYSIOLOGICAL    THEORY. 

All  Cosmos  is  in  movement,  and  the  degree  of  movement 
is  distributed  among  all  parts  by  propagation,  changing  either 
instantaneously  or  continuously,  so  producing  the  different 
energies  of  nature,  which  are  classified  in  the  following 
table  : — 

I.  Energies  primordially  derived^  or  functions  of  organism  : 
Vital  Synthesis. 

I'Progenic  change:  potential   transmissions  \  _ 
Invisible    I  (like  electricity)  j"  Innervation, 

movements'!  Molecular  chan;;e  :  thermo-chemical  pheno-  K^      .  . 

I  mena  jNutrition. 


FOURTH  CONCLUSION. 


141 


Visible     /Complete  division  :  cellular  excision 
movements  (  Return  movement  in  cellular  elements  . 


.  Reproduction. 
.  Contraction. 


2.  Energies  secondarily  derived^  or  changes  of  the  inorganic 
world. 


Progenic 

or 
imf)on- 
derabJe 

energies 


fOuantitative     change     oH  Electricity 
Potential  I  ^  \  .    ^ 


\ 


progene 


/     (static  and  dynamic). 


changes   "1  Change  of  progenic  oscil- \  Potential  heat 


lations  j     (latent  and  radiant). 

TTranslatory  movement  oH  -  .  , 

Manifested  I  _      progene  ji->gnt- 
ch 


anges    |  Oscillatory  movement   of\_ 

l        progene  j  Sound. 


I  r  Change  of  intermolecularl  Heat 

Molecular  I         distances  ]  (temperature and  state), 

changes    j  Change  of  molecular  ex- ^Affinity 
I         tension  /     (chemical  change). 

Molar  changes  :  Visible  or  ordinary  movements. 

The  interstitial  parcels  of  progene  are  constantly  in  oscilla- 
tory revolution,  which  may  produce  in  molecules  repulsive  or 
expansive  effects  (heat);  at  the  same  time  such  parcels  are 
under  the  pressure  of  ultra-atmospheric  progene,  which  pro- 
duces a  force,  centripetally  propagated,  in  proportion  to  the 
mass  and  the  square  root  of  the  distance,  so  producing  in 
corpuscles  and  bodies  an  apparent  effect  of  attraction  (gravity). 
From   two  such  antagonistic  movements  the  different  forces 


called  attraction  and  repulsion  result ;  all  authors,  for  instance, 
saying  "  force  of  cohesion  "  when  they  refer  to  the  union  of 
homogeneous  corpuscles,  and  "  force  of  affinity  "  when  they 
refer  to  the  combination  in  definite  proportions  of  those 
which  are  heterogeneous. 

Chemical   changes   are   primarily   effected    in   the   acts   of 
organic  collocation,  currents  of  progene  being  simultaneously 
produced   with   them.     From    this    perturbation    all    natural 
phenomena,  and  the  potential  changes  of  living  as  well  as 
of  inorganic   bodies,   are    derived.     Thus,   for   instance,   the 
propagation  of  oscillatory  movement  to  the  interstitial  progene 
of  a  body  increases  the  force  whose  effects  appear  to  be  the 
result  of  molecular  repulsion,  and  then  we  may  have  either 
increase  of  temperature  or  change  of  state,  and  even  chemical 
decomposition    may    take    place.      But   for  this   a  potential 
change,    consisting   in    progenic    currents,    must    necessarily 
co-exist ;  and  these  may  become  phenomenal  either  by  trans- 
ference into  ver>'  minute  and  accelerated  emissions  of  progene, 
which,  irradiating  to  the  retina,  may  produce  the  sensation  of 
light,  or  by  transference  into  less  minute  and  less  accelerated 
osdllations  of  progene,  which,  propagated  to  the  ear,  may  pro- 
duce the  sensation  of  sound.     Again,  all  forms  of  invisible 
movement,  but  especially  heat,  are  transferred  into  molecular 
work,  either  in  animal  economy  or  in  machinery  ;  and  finally, 
if  we  suppose  a  change  in  gravitating  pressure,  it  will  produce 
phenomena  having  the  appearance  of  attraction  contrar)'  to 
those    before    mentioned.      Among   these   the  principal   are 
chemical  combinations,  terrestrial  movements,  terrestrial  mag" 
netism,  and  gravity.     In  the  last  the  periodical  increase  and 
diminution   (alternating  every  six  hours)  is  very  remarkable ; 
and  this,   like   the   other   planetary   phenomena,  depends   on 
the  diurnal  and  nocturnal  changes  of  organisms. 


«a 


142  CONCLUSIONS  OF  THIS  PHYSIOLOGICAL    THEORY, 

Fifth  Condusion.—We  proclaim  Monotheism  in  science, 
admitting  the  causal  unity  of  the  Universe  and  rejecting  all 
abstract  or  causing  forces  in  Nature. 

Mechanism  is  nothing  really  independent ;  it  is  the  concept 
of  an  abstraction  from  objective  or  material  nature,  making 
the  elision  of  the  Primordial  Cause.  We  cannot  explain  the 
creation  of  matter,  nor  the  primordial  determination  or  genera- 
tion of  manifested  or  living  change  in  organism ;  but  we  may 
refer  to  the  subject  of  vitality,  and  say  that  it  is  a  supreme 
power,  and  not  a  transference  from  mechanical  energy,  because 
this  does  not  suppose  anything  more  than  matter  in  move- 
ment under  the  different  forms  of  secondary  activity.  The 
proofs  of  this  assertion  are  the  impossibility  of  affirming  the 
contrary,  and  the  principle  of  conservation. 

The  uniformity  in  the  order  of  the  Universe  compels  us 
to  admit  that  it  is  an  organised  system,  for  which  we  must 
recognise  an  Organiser  whose  power  is  not  directly  mani- 
fested in  any  form  of  matter  but  organisms.  Hence,  God  as 
Organiser  is  the  principle  of  vitality— that  is  to  say,  vitality 
must  be  considered  as  the  only  activity  really  originated,  and 
such  primordially  derived  unity  is  the  proximate  cause  of 
phenomenal  motion  in  Cosmos.  This  idea  must  substitute 
that  host  of  abstract  forces  admitted  by  authors  as  exciting 
the  world  to  action. 

Physico-chemical  forces  are  only  the  result  of  movements ; 
they  are  not  causes,  and  still  less  can  they  have  the  conditions 
of  intelligence  necessary  to  accomplish  the  determined  prin- 
ciple and  final  aim  of  the  System. 

The  prime  influence  which  governs  living  bodies  is  a 
perpetual  miracle,  which  we  can  only  know  by  the  continuous 
effects  it  originates  in  organism— first  in  imponderable  material 
or    progene,  and  secondly  in   the  continued  transference  of 


FIFTH  AND  LAST  CONCLUSION.  143 

ponderable  matter  in  and  among  different  bodies.  In  Nature 
there  will  always  remain  an  eternal  mystery  to  us  :  this  is  the 
continual  creation  of  phenomenal  activity  in  organism,  which 
is  revealed  to  us  under  two  forms — generation  of  new  beings 
or  multiplication,  and  growth  or  development  of  living  beings. 
The  other  changes  of  Nature  exist  in  a  continuous  succession, 
keeping  reciprocal  equivalence  among  themselves. 


What  has  been  said  is  sufficient  to  make  known  to  us  the 
solution  here  given  to  the  knowledge  of  Nature ;  and  in 
recapitulation  we  will  say  that  the  perfection  of  physiological 
acquisitions  is  the  result  of  calculation,  and  scientific  progress 
will  advance  with  the  mathematical  exactness  of  the  relations 
formed  among  phenomena,  experience  being  the  means  of 
gathering  the  irreflexive  ideas  of  particular  facts;  and  true 
knowledge  is  acquired  when  reason  can  apply  to  every  single 
case  the  principle  of  conservation,  in  which  we  find  the 
mechanical  unity  of  Cosmos,  which  is  supernatural  or 
immaterial. 

Our  reason  has  conducted  us  at  the  close  to  three  ultimate 
terms  :  one  material,  unconscious,  which  is  only  perceived 
extrinsically  by  propagations  to  the  senses,  differing  according 
to  the  relations  of  space  and  time ;  another  mental,  conscious, 
which  is  only  perceived  intrinsically,  and  without  any  other 
relation  in  its  acts  than  that  of  time ;  and  still  another  con- 
taining the  capacity  of  both  (material  and  mental),  but  not 
being  subject  or  object  of  perception  for  human  intelligence. 
The  inevitable  desire  of  thoughtful  minds  has  been  to  make 
the  synthesis  of  these  three  terms  in  order  to  determine  the 
absolute  unity  of  the  System.  Such  a  synthesis  cannot  be 
made  by  Physiology  in  general,  still  less  by  any  of  its  depart- 
ments.    The  divine  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  human, 


144  CONCLUSIONS  OF  THIS  PHYSIOLOGICAL    THEORY. 

nor  the  spiritual  with  the  material ;  the  unity  of  the  Universe 
can  only  be  found  in  the  plan  and  final  aim  of  the  Creator, 
therefore  it  is  a  theological  problem. 

The  circuit  in  the  changes  of  the  Cosmic  System,  then,  is 
closed  not  by  mechanical  propagation,  but  by  the  engendering 
activity  of  the  Creator,  who  immediately  produces  the  change 
of  latent  energy  into  living  force ;  this  is  first  manifested  by 
the  functions  of  living  matter,  which  afterwards  propagates 
the  action  to  the  inorganic  world  where  the  manifested 
energ)'  is  dissipated,  until  it  is  newly  manifested  by  the 
Supernatural  Potence  in   Vitality. 


r>  < 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


PREFACE 


INTRODUCTION    TO    PHYSIOLOGICAL    THEORY. 

LOGICAL  AND  PSYCHOLOGICAL   DATA. 

I.  Province  and  Division  of  Universal  Physiology 
II.  Principal  Cause  of  Doctrinal  Errors 

III.  Objective  or  Cosmic  Perceptions 

IV.  How  Physiological  Knowledge  is  acquired    . 
V.  Proof  of  Physiological  Data      .... 

VI.  Conservation  of  Energy  in  Cosmic  Mechanism 


PACK 

ill 


3 

7 

9 

>3 

15 

17 


PART    FIRST. 
PRINCIPLES  OF  GENERAL  PHYSIOLOGY. 

VII.  Matter  in  General 
VIII.  Ponderable  Matter  (Atoms) 
IX.  Imponderable  Matter  (Progene) 
X.  Constitution  of  Bodies 
XI.  Inertia  of  Matter 
XII.  Generation  of  Phenomena:  Cause  of  the  System 


23 

28 

32 
36 
39 
42 


Printed  by  Hazell,  Watson  &  Viney,  Ld.,  London  and  Aylesbury. 


PART    SECOND. 
PRINCIPLES   OF  SPECIAL   PHYSIOLOGY, 

XIII.  Province  and  Division  of  Special  Physiology 

XIV.  Molar   Physics;   Visible   Movements   and   Equili- 

brium OF  Bodies 

lO 


49 
S3 


146 


TABLE   OF  CONTENTS. 


HAP. 


XV.  Molecular  Physics:  Heat  and  Chemical  Changes  . 

XVI.  Proc.enic  Physics  in  General 

XVII.  Prooenic  Phenomena:  Sound  and  Light  . 
XVIII.  Pro<;enic    Potence.   or   Potential    Physics:    Elec- 
tricity and  Latent  Heat 


PAGE 

65 

69 

77 


r 


PART    THIRD. 

PRINCIPLES   OF  ABSTRACT  BIOLOGY. 

XIX.  Concept  and  Division  of  Synthetic  Physiology     .      85 

XX.  Principles  of  Descriptive  Biology:  Micrography  .      92 

XXI.  Principles  of  Genesic  Biology:  Microgeny  .      98 


PART    FOURTH. 

PRINCIPLES  OF  ABSTRACT  COSMOLOGY. 

XXII.  Principles  OF Descrhtive  Cosmology  :  Cosmography    109 
XXHI.  Principles  of  Gknfsic    Cosmology:    Cosmogeny, — 

A.  General  Idea  of  Involution  of  Cosmos  .        .116 
XXIV.  Cosmogeny  (i\?w//////fc'</),  A\  Circulation  OF  PROGENE         122 


XXV.  CONCLUSIONS      01 
TIILORV 


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